Speculation has swirled for months around the prospect of Mike Durant’s U.S. Senate candidacy holding the support of the anti-Donald Trump Lincoln Project.
The narrative, promoted by those opposed to his candidacy, stems from the pro-Durant More Perfect Union PAC, which employs former Lincoln Project political director Zack Czajkowski.
In late April, Durant’s opponents amplified the claim when the candidate opted not to respond to an on-camera question asking him if he would denounce the Lincoln Project. At a public event nearly a week later, Durant disavowed the anti-Trump group.
Thursday, the Lincoln Project question took another turn once Durant took to social media and presented a postcard he received in the mail at his business, which appeared to have been signed by Rick Wilson, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project.
The postcard’s author goes on the offensive against Durant over his public display of support for Trump. Additionally, the writer references Trump’s 2015 comments regarding deceased Prisoner of War and former U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), when the then-presidential candidate stated, “I like people who weren’t captured.”
The postcard then mentions Sgt. Gary Gordon and Sgt. Randy Shugart, who were killed in the line of duty during the “Black Hawk Down” incident.
“Dear Mike — Do you honestly believe aligning yourself [with] Trump is really such a hot idea? You are making a deal with the devil and are disgracing yourself in the process,” the postcard reads. “Don’t ever forget — Trump’s heroes don’t get shot down. Sgts. Gordon and Shugart gave their lives to save you pal. Is this how you repay their supreme dedication? Wise up pal. And remember — ‘Everything Trump touches dies.’”
In a tweet, Durant called Wilson a “maniac with Trump derangement syndrome.”
https://twitter.com/MikeDurantAL/status/1524790154220781568?s=20&t=cR3toKGzbbhJ3rXjqRsGCA
In a series of tweets that followed, Durant continued his response to the postcard.
“Rick Wilson sent this cowardly postcard from Mexico. We should finish the wall and once we do, he and the Lincoln project should stay there. “Our country would be better off,” wrote Durant.
“This coward would never have the courage to say Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart’s names to my face in public,” he continued in an additional tweet. “This liberal lunatic wouldn’t last a day running a real business or serving our country overseas. He better hope our paths don’t cross in the future.”
Durant concluded in a final tweet, “It is no wonder why Rick Wilson and the Lincoln Project hate our campaign. I am a pro-Trump, pro-life and pro-gun conservative patriot who will fight the establishment in Washington. The RINOs like Wilson are scared of an outsider like me. They should be.”
Following Durant’s response, Wilson in a Twitter thread denied having written the postcard and aired his grievances against the U.S. Senate candidate.
“Let’s be clear. I didn’t send that card to you, [nor] did I direct anyone else to, either,” wrote Wilson. “I haven’t been in Seattle in over a year, that’s not my handwriting, and most importantly, I don’t have a single f*** to give about you and haven’t bothered to follow your race.”
Wilson’s thread continued, “But since you decided to work this trite and rather boring little campaign stunt for a campaign that’s under fire, I will offer you a few notes. I get why you’d tell this little lie. You’re struggling. You’re flailing. Oh, and Alabama media is full of stories that about your family life that can’t be helping your campaign. If you were smart, you’d have asked me if it was real…but it’s rather evident your advisors at Jamestown Associates (Jason Miller’s old firm) aren’t that sharp.”
Wilson concluded, “But you know, I’m a generous and helpful guy behind my cruel and cutting exterior. So, [Mike Durant], because of your play, I am officially giving you My Total And Complete Endorsement. Now watch what the other campaigns do with that. Good luck!”
Durant then fired back at Wilson, maintaining that the Lincoln Project co-founder was the individual who authored the “reprehensible” postcard.
https://twitter.com/MikeDurantAL/status/1524860855879450626?s=20&t=zzoR-Sj443nXI7Z2ASe8NQ
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
