Republican senatorial candidate Karin Housley recently criticized her “opponent’s continued hypocrisy” on her handling of the abuse allegations against both Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN-03) and Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
As The Minnesota Sun has extensively reported, Ellison currently stands accused of two domestic-abuse allegations, but is continuing his run for Minnesota attorney general anyway. Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, was recently accused of sexually assaulting a girl while the two of them were in high school.
Republicans across the country are using the allegations to highlight the perceived double-standard plaguing the Democratic Party, which is calling for an FBI investigation into the Kavanaugh allegations and urging the nominee to step aside—all while it continues to back Ellison.
“In Friday’s debate, Keith Ellison again demonstrated how unfit he is to be Minnesota’s attorney general—but what’s more disturbing is my opponent’s continued hypocrisy on the abuse allegations against him,” Housley, who is running against Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), said in a recent statement.
Calling it like I see it. pic.twitter.com/VC7t9zKshU
— Karin Housley (@KarinHousley) September 22, 2018
“For Tina Smith to so brazenly call for a ‘full and thorough investigation’ into the allegations made against Brett Kavanaugh but openly campaign with her friend Keith Ellison is hypocritical, offensive, and just plain wrong,” Housley continued, attacking Smith for “manufacturing outrage in an attempt to get votes.”
“I believe in letting all accusers have their say—but for Tina Smith and her friends in the Democratic Party, it’s easier to try and silence them when it’s politically inconvenient,” Housley’s statement concluded.
Smith’s campaign responded to the statement by attacking Housley for voting against women during her time in the Minnesota Senate, according to WCCO’s Morning Take.
“This is fitting coming from someone who as a state legislator has voted against the Women’s Economic Security Act, which is considered bipartisan landmark legislation,” Smith’s campaign said. “Smith has spent her career working to make sure women are respected in their homes, workplaces, and communities.”
Smith’s response concluded by suggesting that Housley sides with party leaders over her female constituents.
“When it comes to siding with her party leaders, Karin Housley has no problem putting women’s health care at risk,” the Smith campaign stated. “But when it comes to passing legislation to help women … doesn’t seem like it’s worth her time.”
Housley is considered one of the Republican Party’s best chances of picking up a Senate seat in the midterms, but she trailed Smith in the latest poll by seven points.
– – –
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
