By Adam Weiss
The theme is unoriginal; only this election cycle there is a plot twist.
Every two years, the mainstream media wages their predictable war against Republican candidates under the guise of being “unbiased” and “impartial.” But this year, it is different — conservative media personalities are striking back and running themselves.
As the founder and CEO of a major communications firm, when I give lectures on media bias, I say that Democratic candidates are automatically up ten points because of their glowing press coverage compared to their Republican counterparts.
What once was a given to ruin a GOP candidate’s chances, the media picks an obscure subject and turns it into a racist, sexist, or creative public scandal to tarnish the Republican and hand the seat to a Democrat.
Look no further than Senator George Allen’s 2006 campaign for re-election. After calling a heckler “macaca,” the media went into overdrive, branding him a “racist” against Indian Americans. The wall-to-wall coverage led to his downfall.
In the 2010 Delaware Senate race, the media branded Christine O’Donnell a “witch” and a radical extremist. That was the end of her political career.
This time, things are different.
Candidates Kari Lake, Tudor Dixon, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, all previously beloved television personalities, are now using parts of former President Donald Trump’s playbook to fight back against the media’s strategy — and it is working.
Before entering politics, Dixon was a news anchor for America’s Voice Live on Real America’s Voice.
Being part of conservative media has not earned Dixon any brownie points with mainstream pundits, of course.
Though the Police Officers Association of Michigan has endorsed Dixon, many mainstream media pundits are running with a line that she isn’t doing enough to support law enforcement. Hilarious, coming from members of the “defund the police” party. She has also been accused of “extremism” for being pro-life, a line that originated with the Michigan Democratic Party.
Dixon is also up against a 245-to-1 advantage in ads on the airwaves in Michigan compared to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Still, Dixon delivers a Trump-style with a smile — and she is just five points behind Whitmer in the most recent poll.
Lake was once a beloved anchor at KSAZ, scoring interviews with former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. But, once celebrated and liked by her colleagues in the media class, she appeared to become enemy number one when she dared to ask questions about the 2020 election.
The Washington Post has referred to her as “Donald Trump in heels.” She has had no issue calling out corruption and blasting those she believes are engaged in it.
Unphased by the relentless attacks, Lake has continued to take on the media industry she had been part of since 1991, with Trumpian displays of strength and refusing to pander to journalists that hate her.
As a result, she is currently leading her race.
Few stars have been more integral to daytime entertainment than Dr. Oz, who began his television career with five years as a health expert on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The show won nine Daytime Emmy Awards before going off air in January when he announced his intent to run for office.
Though he is subjected to constant attacks, Oz’s campaign has kept high energy, just like his friend Trump.
In fact, one recent poll shows Oz has a 4.5 point lead over Democrat John Fetterman.
Herschel Walker, once a beloved Heisman Trophy and Hall of Fame Football player, is now a major target for the left and the media because control of the Senate runs through Georgia.
What was once frowned upon, digging into personal family matters for political officials, is now the main tactic used by the media — especially against Walker.
A reporter from The Daily Beast dug up a woman claiming she had an abortion and that it was paid for by Walker.
According to the left’s moral standards, isn’t this a very private matter, and one which they claim to support at all times?
Yet, they have Sen. Rafael Warnock’s ex-wife on tape crying and telling the police that he ran over her foot — but this story is hard to find.
Luckily, Walker is hanging in there, fighting back and not taking any of this lying down.
In the past, Republicans would be silent, and careers would be finished, but thanks to the lessons learned from Trump, this is no longer the case.
As we saw with President Trump, media hatred is not necessarily a good indicator of popularity with the people or the likelihood of winning. So hopefully, the media will get another reality check on November 8 — from people who were once considered their peers. We ordinary Americans know the game, and we know it well enough not to play.
Adam Weiss is the CEO of AMW PR, a New York based political strategy and communications firm. His firm has worked with Jim Brown, Judge Jeanine Pirro, Congressman Lee Zeldin, Eboni Williams, Corey Lewandowski, David Bossie, Governor Haley Barbour, Steve Hilton. Anthony Scaramucci, and more.
