2018 General Election Lost 55 — 42
A completely improbable, nearly impossible candidate
Randy Bryce https://randybryceforcongress.comis running for Congress. Not only that. He’s running against Paul Ryan. Trying to beat the Majority Leader is not a small task.
Ordinarily, the Daily Kos would dismiss him as a “some dude” candidate. That would actually be pretty positive. Ordinarily, in politics, Randy Bryce would be a nobody, a nobody who tried some politics and failed. In 2012, he ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly. He lost the primary for Assembly District 62 70 to 30. In 2014, Bryce lost the election for State Senate District 21 by a little more than a 60-40.
Paul Ryan has never lost an election. He has won every election by double digit percentages. In 2016, he won by 35 points, He has been an enormously successful fund raiser and probably cannot be outspent.
Why pay attention to Randy Bryce now? He has a primary opponent. Bryce began running in June, 2017. He made a video which opens with Trump touting Ryan’s work on the Republican health care plan. Bryce’s mother talks about her multiple sclerosis and how she could lose her health insurance under the Republican health plan
Randy Bryce describes how he could not help her, sick as she was, even when she was able to get treatment. “There were some times when I’m in a room next to her, and she’s in a room just screaming in pain, you know, and I’m like, ‘I can’t do anything. I don’t know what to do. I can’t help her.'”
Randy Bryce has had his own health problems. He had prostate cancer and no insurance. Fortunately, he joined an experiment at a nearby hospital and got successful experimental treatment. He speaks about his son Ben as a miracle because he had not expected to be able to have children after the treatment.
Randy Bryce touts himself as an ordinary guy. He turned out to be an extraordinary maker of videos. His video went viral. Within 24 hours of its posting, he raised $100,000. He has raised more than a million dollars and the donations keep coming.
Randy Bryce says: “Look, I’m one of you.” “‘I’m more like you than this guy [Ryan] who hasn’t [had a public town hall] in our district for over 600 days.”
Randy Bryce has survived missteps. He apologized for and took down a tweet that some saw as suggesting Ivanka Trump had a relationship with Justin Trudeau. He is being attacked for having been arrears in child care payment.
Too bad. He should have commented on his financial difficulties and bankruptcy first, before he was attacked. But Bryce’s response is on target (bullet format is mine) :
- “Paul Ryan certainly doesn’t understand what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck, to have to choose between food and paying your bills, or to literally be faced with life and death decisions with no health insurance. But I do understand. I’ve survived some really awful times, and it’s time there’s someone in Congress who knows what everyday people are going through.
- I know what it’s like to work 100 hours a week, doing hard, manual labor — because I’ve done it.
- I know the fear and uncertainty of having a serious disease — cancer — and no health insurance. Because I have been there.
- I know what it’s like to be fighting for your life while watching your world crumble around you. Because 17 years ago I had to file for bankruptcy when my mounting medical bills and other debt became too much to bear. I know what people are facing, and that’s exactly why I jumped into this race.
- Sadly, my story is not unique. Thousands of people across Wisconsin have experienced the same soul-crushing decision to file for bankruptcy. It’s just wrong. I was very lucky to be able to resolve my case over a few years, but not everyone is that fortunate. As a veteran, I know some of the hardest hit by this crisis are the brave men and women who have served our country only to have the system turn its back on them. It’s gone on too long, and it’s not something I will stand by and continue to watch.
- I know what it’s like to look your child in the eyes and have to explain that your job has changed and times were going to be tight for a while. I had to do it, and I fell behind on my child support payments. Thankfully, my son’s mom and I were able to work together, putting our son first, and we made a plan to ensure all his needs were met in the fastest way possible. But kids shouldn’t suffer because parents fall on hard times. We have to do better, and I believe we can.
- It breaks my heart that these stories are as common as they are, right here in Southeastern Wisconsin and across the country. It’s scary being in these situations. You’re a nervous wreck, you’re ashamed you can’t protect and take care of your family, and you don’t know how you’re going to claw your way back. Like so many people, I can say that I’ve had to borrow money from friends and family in tough times, and been grateful for the grace of being able to pay them back when I could.
Randy Bryce https://randybryceforcongress.com/ can make a video. And he can write. He has spent his life as an iron worker and he can speak for workers. He has raised an enormous amount of money for a “some dude,” for a political nobody. He will never raise as much as Paul Ryan will raise. But he is raising enough to compete. He might win. He might defeat Paul Ryan. This is a swing district. Barack Obama carried the district in 2008. With Paul Ryan as his candidate for Vice President, Mitt Romney got 52% of the vote. Help Randy Bryce get more than 50% of the vote to defeat Paul Ryan. Make a donation. Commit to a monthly donation….even if the commitment is for a small amount.
