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The Washington State Republican Party has called on incumbent 26th District State Representative Pat Lantz (D-Gig Harbor) to cease her use of negative “push-polling” campaign tactics against Republican challenger Beckie Krantz. The two will face off against each other in the November general election.
“Push-polling is being used to mislead voters in the 26th district and malign Beckie Krantz’s character,” said an angry Republican State Chair Diane Tebelius. “It’s a shameful campaign tactic and the worst form of character assassination.”
She added, “Representative Lantz can’t run on her liberal record of gutting I-601, voting for the largest increase in state spending in 14 years, and every anti-economic growth policy that runs through the state legislature, so she’s resorting to smearing Beckie’s character.”
According to a Republican news release, 26th district voters have been complaining about survey calls sponsored by the Lantz campaign in which they described “guilt by association” and attempted character assassination techniques used by callers.
Krantz, who has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and a number of other business groups, is a respected Gig Harbor businesswoman making her first foray into politics.
According to Krantz, Lantz has admitted publicly to supporting push-polling as “a typical part of a campaign because one needs to see what is going to work with voters.” “What’s most disgraceful,” said Krantz, “is that Pat Lantz promised to my face not to do anything like this. I made a similar pledge and took that promise very seriously.”
Political insiders consider the 26th district race “one to watch,” believing Lantz is vulnerable. Internal polling by the House Republican Organizational Committee show her negatives just under 50 percent in the district.
“This is a sign that the Lantz campaign is pushing the panic button,” said Tebelius.
At presstime, the Lantz campaign hadn’t return phone calls asking for comments. | 
