While much of this story remains murky, at its core, it’s an example of what political combatants are willing to do to potentially harm to a foe.
At issue are screen shots of alleged 2012 Facebook exchanges between Taylor and a 21-year-old Newport News woman in which an intimate rendezvous and marijuana use are discussed.
Rumors about online interactions between Taylor and the woman have spread in political circles for weeks.
Byler and Taylor say they had a phone conversation about them around that time but agree on little else in this episode.
“He’s responsible and accountable for his campaign,” said Taylor, a Fox News contributor who previously ran for Beach mayor and Congress. “Once he was made aware, he should have taken action and fired people. This is exactly the type of gutter politics… that we do not want in our country.”
Byler, chairman of the GOP’s 2nd Congressional District Committee, denies any knowledge of spreading the information: “I would absolutely, positively never involve myself in negative campaigning,” he said.
This is where it gets stupid — quick.
The images were peddled to the media – a paid Byler consultant provided the Facebook screen grabs to The Virginian-Pilot in an April 1 email. The newspaper didn’t report on them at the time, deeming the information questionable.
It appears they also were shopped to politicos. Bill Dale, the Democratic candidate in the 85th District, said he received an email a few weeks back offering similar information about Taylor for $500.
Now this lowly blogger has not received such an e-mail… or if he did, it would have gone straight to the trash can.
But Taylor’s record would not suggest such activity would be in his character.
At all.
Which leads one to two conclusions:
1. Certainly someone attached to the Byler campaign was peddling this crap, and…
2. …the very fact that they are suggests that Byler may not be doing so well.
Winning campaigns don’t go nasty, folks. Negative — reasons not to vote for a candidate — are fine. But nasty negative? Nope…
