Primary Day Can’t Come Soon Enough After Ugly GOP Campaign

Are you sick of it yet? The Republican Primary for NY-22, the newly drawn Congressional district that aligns Oneida and Madison Counties with Syracuse, has completed early voting and the Primary set for Tuesday, 6 a.m. until 9 p.m..

The race is between Steve Wells from Madison County, and Brandon Williams from Cayuga County (he says he'll move into the district if he wins) and it has been ugly, at least as of late.

Wells is backed by establishment Republicans like State Senator Joe Griffo and Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, and even Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Meanwhile, Williams, who actually uses the anti-Biden slogan "Go Brandon" in his commercials (albeit tongue in cheek because of his name), is backed locally by the Trump supporting Constitutional Caucus in Oneida County. Williams also touts that he's a Trump supporter and promises to support Rep. Claudia Tenney, who's now running in the Oswego based 23rd Congressional District. Clearly, there's a Trump vs. establishment Republican element in this race.

Editor's note: Claudia Tenney has not made an endorsement in this race, despite an earlier report.

Ugly accusatory television and radio commercials, direct mail pieces that seem to arrive every day from the US Postal Service, as well as robotic calls, emails and text messages. Ads from the campaigns and PACS are calling both sides liberals, and both sides unfit for Congress. The problem is that depending on what happens as a result of Tuesday's Primary, these two candidates might still be opponents going into November and their chances of winning the General Election is not so bright.

Here's why.

If Wells wins the Republican Primary, he'll be on the ballot as a Republican and Williams is already on the ballot as the endorsed Conservative. Strategists believe the two Republicans would split the vote and almost guarantee a Democrat will win. If Williams wins the Primary, strategists believe he might be too conservative and too tied to Trump to win the new NY-22, which leans Democrat. Meanwhile, Wells as a moderate, probably has a better chance of a Republican victory in November, but can he win the Primary?

Democrats feel better after redistricting in the newly drawn 22nd because they now have a better margin in the new district, based on large Democrat population bases in Syracuse, and Utica/Rome. Democrats running in the NY-22 Democratic Primary are Francis Conole, Sarah Klee Hood, Cool Majok and Sam Roberts.

Republicans beating up on Republicans.

Whether the ads are coming directly from the candidates or from PAC advertising, Republican voters are being inundated by ugly accusations directed at both Republicans. Here's a brief sample of the kind of aggressive ads Republicans are receiving via text message on their cell phones. Only time will tell if the two Republicans in this race can survive the current attacks when it comes to the General in November.

Pro Williams Attacks

•Lliberal Steve Wells has refused to participate in Republican debates, admitted he isn't pro-life, donated to liberal Democrats, and opposed President Trump. Know the truth about Liberal Steve Wells: https://linkred.org/9hWGqAw8m  Reply STOP to Opt Out

•I'm Brandon Williams and in Congress I'll fight inflation, and will end the radical policies that have created it. Learn more: https://goplink.app/q7DmNyM8m Reply STOP to Opt

•America is in trouble and we can't depend on the same pay to play politicians who have broken it to fix it. It's time to step up and make our voices heard. I'm the only pro-gun, pro-life, America First conservative running and am proudly endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York State. I am all in. Will you join me? https://goplink.org/secE48P8m Reply STOP to opt out

•Liberal Steve Wells is spending major money to hide his anti-trump, pro-abortion history - including donating over $30,000 to Gov. Cuomo. Vote No to Liberal Steve Wells this Tuesday! https://linkred.org/fXumCkK8m  Reply Stop to Opt Out

Pro Wells Attacks

•Dishonest Brandon Williams says he supports Donald Trump but did not vote for him in the 2016 President Election. Brandon Williams does not represent Conservative Republican values. Oppose him on Tuesday, August 23rd. Text STOP to opt out

•Phony Candidate Alert: Don't be fooled by Brandon Williams. He's a former Wall Street Banker who invested in a Big Tech company that attacked conservatives and outsourced jobs to China! He lives on a truffle farm outside the district, and he's bankrolled by money from outside New York. Vote Against Brandon Williams on Tuesday, August 23. Reply STOP To End

• Why is out-of-towner Brandon Williams LYING about Conservative Steve Wells? Because Dishonest Brandon Williams does not even live in our district, and owns a shady business in California. We simply cannot trust Dishonest Brandon Williams to represent Central New York's values in Congress! Text STOP to opt out

•BREAKING NEWS: Conservative Republican STEVE WELLS just received an 'A' rating from the NRA. Steve Wells will FIGHT for 2nd Amendment rights and OPPOSE the liberals' efforts to disarm law-abiding citizens. Preserve your constitutional rights by voting Tuesday August 23rd for Conservative STEVE WELLS! Text STOP to opt out

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