Ya know, normally I would think that a guy who contracts mercenary forces to governments so the governments can plausibly deny killing civilians wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning an election. But this is 2017, and it’s Wyoming, so who the fuck knows, right?
Erik Prince is one of the most loathsome, amoral, entitled jackasses on the planet. I’ve railed against him (and his various companies) for years, both in real life and on these boards, and I’m appalled and frightened by the fact that I don’t think it’s a certainty that he would lose this election.
Well, he has to win the primary first. Which is a real possibility, but the last rich Republican with important connections who tried to parachute into a primary against a sitting Wyoming senator flopped very badly. Although she’s now Wyoming’s congresswoman, so I guess it didn’t bruise her too badly.
Don’t forget, Lord Feldon, that right next door in Montana last year, Greg Gianforte (a rich Republican with no political experience) won his election despite assaulting a reporter in front of witnesses.
I’m curious why this is. I don’t know much of anything about Erik Prince, but we’ve got an entire planet full of loathsome, amoral, entitled jackasses. What makes this guy “one of the most”?
You were going to be part of my research. You seem to have strong opinions about him, I was wondering what they were based on. If you don’t want to share, that’s fine, I’ll just file it away under “unsupported opinions” and move on with my life.
When I was growing up in Wyoming, the local TV news out of Casper had a weekly segment about public health that was anchored (corresponded? unsure the proper verb) by Dr. John Barasso–the senator that Prince would be trying to unseat. Because of that stint on the news, Barasso has far more name recognition in Wyoming than Prince, and has the rep of being solidly conservative. Yeah, Wyoming is Wyoming, but I’d be super surprised if the state kicks out that “nice TV doctor” for a carpet-bagger.
Dick Cheney grew up in Casper, too. It was Cheney’s hiring of Erik Prince for various “duties” for the CIA during the Afghan & Iraq wars that helped make Blackwater a household name.
Say what you will about the man, he did offer a good starting salary, $500. to $750. per day ($15,000. to $22,500. per month), for your basic rent-a-grunt. Not too bad for a spear carrier.
As long as after his name was “(R)”, then yes, you are right.
However, I don’t know that Wyomingites would necessarily eject an ACTUAL Wyomingite from his seat for shits and giggles. Barrasso is recognized name, and known to be a truly local, long-time resident, which will likely give him some staying power here. Erik Prince would be an outsider.
Of course, in the era of Trump, nothing makes sense anymore anyway, so who knows.