Fresno Bee: TJ Cox tries passing off Democrat as Republican in TV ad
TJ Cox is once again lying to voters (shocker!)
In a new ad, TJ Cox features a testimonial from a “Republican” voting for TJ Cox.
There’s just one problem — the “Republican” TJ uses is actually a registered Democrat.
TJ Cox is such a liar.
In case you missed it…
California Democrat Touts A Republican’s Support In Ad. The Man Is Registered Democrat
Kate Irby
Fresno Bee
October 29, 2020
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article246777397.html
A recent advertisement by Democratic Rep. TJ Cox includes a man who says he’s a Republican supporting Cox in next week’s election. But the man is a registered Democrat, according to public records.
The man, identified in the advertisement as “Manny” from Laton, is Manuel Lopez. He has been a registered Democrat since at least November 2019, according to records with Political Data Inc.
Lopez has registered as a Republican in the past, according to records from the firm.
Lopez in a phone call confirmed he was the one who appeared in the Cox ad. He ended the conversation when asked about his Democratic voter registration.
Cox, D-Fresno, is defending his seat against former Rep. David Valadao, a Republican from Hanford. Cox narrowly defeated Valadao in 2018, and the district has been flooded with advertisements and millions of dollars in spending both by of the campaigns and outside political groups.
The advertisement, called “For Us,” highlights Cox’s work for farmers and on San Joaquin Valley water challenges. It aired on TV and online starting last week in the Fresno market.
The ad has two other people introduce themselves, one man who identifies himself as a farmer and a woman who says she’s from Hanford, before Lopez introduces himself as a Republican.
“We’re sick of politics as usual,” the three say in voiceovers. “But TJ Cox is different.”
Cox’s campaign declined to comment on the ad. Instead, the campaign passed along a statement from Lopez.
“I’m a lifelong Republican,” Lopez said, according to the Cox campaign.
The Cox campaign plans to leave the advertisement up, a spokesman said.
The rest of the ad touts Cox’s record with water and helping people impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Water is a big problem here, so TJ went to bat for us, got our fair share of water projects for the Central Valley to help farmers and TJ helped workers hurt by the Coronavirus,” the three people continue in voiceovers, transitioning between each of them. “TJ’s for me, and me, and all of us.”
While Cox has secured funding for water projects in appropriations bills, much of his efforts to pass additional measures for clean drinking water, canal repairs and other infrastructure repairs related to water in the Valley have not become law.
Cox voted for some coronavirus stimulus packages, helping businesses pay workers. The major one, known as the CARES Act, passed in March and delivered $1,200 stimulus payments to most Americans and increased unemployment insurance. But subsequent attempts by both the House and Senate to provide additional help and payments for the past seven months have failed to become law.