AP/Darren Hauck
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R.
Liz Mair, who was a digital strategist for Walker, came under a storm of criticism for her advocacy for some relatively liberal policy positions and colorful tweets that critics claimed were insulting to Iowans.
"In other news, I see Iowa is once again embarrassing itself, and the GOP, this morning. Thanks, guys," Mair wrote about a January event hosted by conservative Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), according to the Associated Press. "The sooner we remove Iowa's front-running status, the better off American
Some conservatives were not pleased with her hire. The chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, Jeff Kaufmann, called on Walker to dismiss Mair and the right-leaning site Breitbart News ran a sharply critical story about her support for immigration "amnesty."
"Walker made another massive misstep on Monday, hiring Liz Mair," the Breitbart story read. "Mair's support for amnesty for illegal aliens ... is sure to dog Walker in Iowa, South Carolina, and other early presidential states."
After she left Walker's campaign, Mair fired off about 40 tweets that clarified her positions on issues like ethanol subsidies and reiterated her criticism of King. She insisted she is actually a big fan of Iowa but has questions about its status as the first state to weigh in on the presidential process. Mair also praised Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) using still more colorful language.
"I don't know everything about Branstad's record, but my general impression is that he's stayed true to himself and his beliefs while running. That takes some balls. And yes, this means I've just been tweeting about Terry Branstad's balls. There, something new to be offended about!" she wrote. "I also think given the lack of prevalence of mustaches among candidates and elected officials, Branstad deserves some credit for keeping his."
Reached for comment, a strategist for Walker's Our American Rival PAC told Business Insider that campaigns must have "absolute respect" for the voters.
"We accept those who have a variety of viewpoints on issues but what we ultimately must have is absolute respect for people across the country," the strategist, Rick Wiley, said in a statement. "Our American Revival is an organization formed to promote bold reforms across the country and we're going to continue advocating for those ideals."
View Mair's full tweetstorm below:
Now that I'm off payroll, there are a couple things I'd like to say.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 20151. The "morons" I was referring to in that 1 tweet were Ds who were feigning surprise at an Iowa family having benefited from farm subsidies
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I was not calling Iowans morons. And if you read the tweet, and look at the online discussion around the time it was made, that's obvious.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 20152. Obviously, I know when official "ethanol subsidies" ended. But it's a sad commentary on the policy savvy of people covering Iowa...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015...that they don't understand that regulation and mandates, e.g., the RFS, are also subsidies. Regulatory subsidies.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015The reference to #agsubsidies was very clearly a reference to farm subsidies. Context makes that obvious. #farmsubsidies wouldn't fit in 140
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I do find some of the things Steve King says on immigration embarrassing and factually dubious.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015For example, I do not think his 1-100 ratio on DREAMER valedictorians to DREAMER drug mules is mathematically correct.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I also think the fact that King is held out as the only real force in Iowa and representative of what Iowans think is embarassing for Iowa.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I was however wrong to implicitly buy into that notion with a couple of quick-fire, snarky tweets.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Obviously, there are Iowans who disagree w King, including the very many who prefer Mike Lee's rhetoric and tone on immigration.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015There are also Iowans who want the ethanol mandate ditched, and farm subsidies reformed. For the record, I'm w Jeff Flake on farm subsidies.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Here's something I wrote all the way back in 2007 re: farm subsidies. http://t.co/kwXPy26KBs I know many will disagree w me on this.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Also, for those who will be writing wrap-up stories re: my involvement with OAR, don't give me a title bump. I was not his digital director.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015As for me and what's next, my firm has other clients, including a new one I expect to be starting today. But thank you for the concern.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I will just finish by saying I think the country needs to have a debate about things like the RFS and farm subsidy reform.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015For my part, yes, I'll try to rein in the snark. I suspect, tho, that for some, that won't be enough bc some don't want to discuss policy.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Oh, and finally, re: IA caucuses, I'll just say that I'm not a huge fan of the choose-by-convention/choose-by-caucus system...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015...tho it has certainly benefited candidates I like or prefer in past.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Ultimately, whatever state goes first, there will be a lot of candidates keen to, shall we say, "speak to their issues."
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015But I generally think primaries are preferable to caucuses, caucuses are preferable to conventions...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015...and I think maybe we should debate whether 1st 4 or 5 primary states should alternate who gets to go 1st.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I fully understand why Iowans would find that suggestion problematic and objectionable.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015It would probably even be disadvantageous to some candidates I (have) supported.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015But I think it's potentially advantageous for the party and the country. Iowa doesn't have great history of picking GOP nominee...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Final thought: People have mischaracterized my views as "hating" Iowans. That saddens me and is wrong and inaccurate.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015There are very few people I "hate." As a Christian (albeit a perhaps unconventional one), I make a point of not "hating."
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015For the record, Joni Ernst was one of two federal candidates in 2014 who I was desperate to see win her race.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I've also always been a fan of Gov. Branstad. Yeah, he's more liberal than me on a bunch of issues...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015... but I admire how he didn't pull a Romney and try to make himself out to be some hardened conservative in his gubernatorial primary.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015Whether a candidate is a firebrand conservative or squishy RINO or big libertarian or just someone w mixed up views like me...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015... it takes a lot of cojones to not be the proverbial equivalent of a 5yo playing soccer and constantly chase the ball, moving everywhere.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I don't know everything about Branstad's record, but my general impression is that he's stayed true to himself and his beliefs while running
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015That takes some balls. And yes, this means I've just been tweeting about Terry Branstad's balls. There, something new to be offended about!
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I also think given the lack of prevalence of mustaches among candidates and elected officials, Branstad deserves some credit for keeping his
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015And no, that is not a joke. Neither is my great love of state fairs and my sadness that I may not now see the butter cow while working.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I'm deadly serious about both of those things.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015One thing I forgot to mention-- credit to Democrats (DNC or Iowa Dem Party?). They're the ones that dug up my tweets & pitched story.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015I may not like the result, but as someone who deals with a lot of opposition research, kudos for being quick on the fly...
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015... and handling it in such a way that it wasn't obvious who originated the story.
- Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 18, 2015