Democrats once again during this campaign cycle decided to go after that politically bankable menace to society: incumbent candidates battling cancer.
In yet another politics-related reference to cancer that has opponents howling, a sidelined Carl Lewis this weekend showed up at a Willingboro campaign event in street clothes where he charged state Sen. Diane Allen (R-7) for receiving taxpayer-funded healthcare while denying the state a $7.5 million allocation for women’s healthcare.
“Your senator right now is dancing across the stage, just had … a cancer scare and you know what, guess what? Every single person in this room is paying for her health care,” said Lewis, according to local news reports.
Lewis was referring to Allen’s abstention during a vote to restore the women’s healthcare funding to the budget after it was slashed by Gov. Chris Christie.
The funding cuts affected only a small number of Willingboro residents according to the Star Ledger’s Politifact site, which ruled Lewis’s claim ‘mostly false,” and many of the affected were able to receive medical care elsewhere.
The remark prompted Assembly Republican leaders to go on offense.
“This is a disgusting attack on a respected senator who fought cancer with the same grace and dignity that she uses to represent her constituents,” said Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce, (R-26). “Herb Conaway and Troy Singleton said nothing when a surrogate attacked someone’s cancer treatment right in front of them. Carl Lewis disgraced himself and their campaign.”
“No one should have to take a cheap shot for fighting cancer,” Assembly Republican Conference Leader Jon Bramnick, (R-21) said. “Even when political campaigns get down and dirty there are certain bounds of human decency that should not be crossed. Knocking someone for receiving cancer treatment is one of those lines.
“These comments need to be condemned and rebuked strongly and swiftly,” Bramnick added.
Late last month, Democrats in the 16th District attacked Republican Peter Biondi for his spotty voting record after Biondi missed several key votes. Biondi has been battling cancer and missed the votes as a result, prompting supporters of the popular incumbent to condemn the attack.
Democrats in LD 7 admitted that while Lewis may have been wrong to bring up Allen’s personal struggle with cancer, the substantive issue remains that she refused to back the allocation for women’s healthcare funding and folded in the face of a Republican governor simply trying to score a political point.
