Talk about a tasteless campaign stunt. Former Modesto City Councilman Bill Conrad says Assembly opponent Tom Berryhill is unfit for office because he’s a heart transplant recipient. The way that Conrad figures it, Berryhill could die in office because of it.
And either could get hit by a truck. Now we have to check insurance actuarial tables to see who to vote for?
“Can you imagine the costs to taxpayers for a special election when poor health renders him unable to fulfill the duties of office?” Conrad said in a mailer to 25th District voters. “Republicans deserve a strong candidate.”
They are running in the GOP primary in the June 6 election.
Berryhill said his health is good, and Conrad is playing dirty politics. I agree. This is very low, even in the current nasty political environment when just about anything goes.
Berryhill is 52 and his heart issues came after exposure to pesticides and herbicides while working on his family’s farm, according to the Associated Press. That caused the need for a heart valve replacement when he was 21 and a heart transplant in 2001, the AP reported.
“What (Conrad) failed to tell you is if you live through three years without any rejection, you have a normal life span,” Berryhill told the AP.
I live in the district and received the mail flyer. Conrad used the heart issue to frame numerous other issues that needed to be disclosed about Tom Berryhill. The way it was brought up was perhaps a tad insensitive, but I voted absentee for Conrad based on finding out about Berryhill's bankruptcy and lack of experience.
So the negative campaigning was effective for you, even if you thought it was a "tad" over the top?
Personally, I wish candidates would focus more on why we should vote FOR them, as opposed to why we should vote AGAINST the other guy.