Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA) accused his 2022 opponent, Teddy Daniels, of being “anti-police” in a recent fundraising email. “Let me be perfectly clear: I applaud the officers who bravely protected the Capitol on January 6th and are now telling their stories to Congress,” the email stated. “And I will do everything in my power to make sure the anti-police, anti-election Teddy Daniels is not elected to Congress.”
Daniels, who is challenging Cartwright in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, laughed at Cartwright’s assertion in a tweet. This probably had something to do with the fact that Daniels himself is a former police officer. He also served in Afghanistan, where he was wounded in combat. “My liberal D opponent has sent a fundraising email stating I’m anti-police. Guess what Matt, I was one,” wrote Daniels. I’ve never seen a more pathetic & weak display of fear!”
My liberal D opponent has sent a fundraising email stating I’m anti-police. Guess what Matt, I was one! Stated he will do everything to keep me out of office….that includes lying. I’ve never seen a more pathetic & weak display of fear!
https://t.co/I5LpopirZU pic.twitter.com/QWWhBVSGiY
— Teddy Daniels for Congress (@DanielsCongress) August 6, 2021
“Teddy is the most pro-cop guy there is! He just can’t stand mall cops who lie for Pelosi,” said Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers in a quote tweet. Both Daniels and Rogers have been critical of double standards regarding outrage over the Capitol protests compared to months-long BLM riots in which hundreds of police officers were injured. “When are the families of cops killed by BLM & Antifa going to get bro hugs from CNN hosts,” Daniels wrote in a tweet earlier this week.
Representative Cartwright issued a statement in support of Black Lives Matter as nationwide riots unfolded last June. “The nationwide protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd is undoubtedly the result of persistent gridlock over addressing racism in America,” Cartwright said in a statement at the time. Over 700 police officers were injured in the nationwide riots as of June 8, 2020. Demonstrations continued over the course of the year at various flashpoints, however, including Pennsylvania. In October of 2020, at least 30 Philadelphia Police Officers were injured in riots triggered by the shooting of Walter Wallace, who charged at officers with a knife.
How is anything my opponent wrote an insult. President Trump won my district twice. The liberal elites in their ivory towers couldn’t be any further out of touch with reality. Buckle up Matt, going to be a tough 16 months for you! https://t.co/PV7zjtSB0L
— Teddy Daniels for Congress (@DanielsCongress) August 6, 2021
Daniels is looking to unseat Cartwright in a Pennsylvania district that Trump won twice. Cartwright narrowly defeated Republican nominee Jim Bognet in 2020, a candidate who Daniels lost to by a bit less than 3,000 votes in the primary. “I’m running on a straight America First platform. The working men and women of this country have been forgotten for far too long,” Daniels told National File back in May. “The left is bending to extremists and promote policies that actively hurt Americans. When I get elected, the Establishment GOP will hate me just as much as the left.”