Otto Bade never returned my call, but Art Pedroza did manage to speak with him yesterday about why he's running a write-in campaign in the 34th.
I agree with Art's analysis: Bade's no threat unless Democratic interests spend money on IEs to tell voters about him -- the goal being to siphon away enough GOP voters from Lynn Daucher in order to ensure her defeat.
Otto has a checkered past: a manslaughter indictment (he was acquitted, but the person he killed is still dead), bankruptcies, mutliple divorces, illegitimate children, etc. Not really a guy who's big on keeping commitments or levelling with you.
So I wasn't surprised when Otto told Art this whopper:
Did Matthias recruit Bade? I asked Bade, but he claimed not to know Matthias.
Bruce Matthias worked for Bade's Assembly campaign for several months. Bade still owes Bruce so money, so I'm not shocked that he claimed not to know Matthias. What's another bad debt? Just throw it on the pile.
UPDATE: Mike Lawson at TheLiberalOC adds another possible theory as to Otto's motive.
Just a moment, back in 2004 the entire Republican Community was backing Otto Bade for the Republican Nomination. Bade won the nomination without attending any debates, addressing any issues. We effectively crushed his opponent in that primary election. Are we all saying that we were wrong in supporting Bade? Who brought Bade before the GOP? Who was his Consultant? We can't all be wrong regarding Bade, could we?
Posted by: Reuben Ross | October 27, 2006 at 10:32 AM