A tough week for Brandon Vick in the 18th. Republican Leader Richard DeBolt shifts to dual endorsement.

I believed from the moment my fellow PCO's struggled through 3 ballots to finally get Brandon Vick's name to the first position on the list that he would not be appointed.  Liz Pike's connections combined with her unstinting hard work on her campaign when combined with Brandon's lackluster tenure as party chair, the mishandling of the expulsion of democrat Commissioner Marc Boldt from the GOP on his watch and his abysmal failure of a campaign meant that Pike would be the obvious choice, and the appointment outcome was likely obvious.

Now that Adrian Cortes has re-entered the race, did Pike's appointment and that re-entry end any hope for Brandon?

Some might think that Republican Leader Richard DeBolt's endorsement of Vick would seal the deal, keeping lobby money going to Brandon and cutting off any hope for Cortes.

Some might be wrong... since DeBolt has now changed that to a DUAL endorsement, freeing up the lobby to shower Cortes with checks in a way Vick could only dream of.

Brandon Vick's fund raising has been abysmal.  Since the PCO's put Brandon on the list, he's raised a grand total of around $3100.  For he entire month of August, he's raised $740.

$740.

For state representative.

Is it any wonder that DeBolt has thrown him to the wolves by shifting to a dual endorsement to free up the lobby money to Adrian?

The political gods have conspired against Brandon.  His world is filled with a life tearing him into different pieces... and each piece weakens the case that he should be elected... this time.

I want Brandon Vick to succeed.  I want him to learn and grow from this experience,  I want him to remain involved, to become thoughtful about his political future, plan it and strive to achieve it.

If, as I suspect, Brandon were to lose this election... and I believe he will lose it... the political damage to him would be incalculable and likely end any political future he may have.

Adrian has all the momentum and will have all the money... and the support.  Brandon has some serious thinking to do... and he's got two choices: get his butt out of dead low gear and WIN this election by doing what he HAS to do: put EVERYTHING aside until November and FIGHT for it... or get hammered at the polls unless he can find some other way.

That's hard to do with a business... a brand new baby... and momentum on the other side.

Just sayin.'