Campaign manager claimed opponent retweeted Trump. Twitter users called her out
Rep. TJ Cox is facing criticism from his predecessor and current challenger after a campaign staffer admitted to doctoring a photo on Twitter.
Cox, D-Fresno, is trying to defend his seat against former Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford. Cox beat Valadao in 2018 by fewer than 1,000 votes, and the seat is a top target for Republicans.
Amanda Sands, Cox’s campaign manager, this week tweeted a photo of President Donald Trump’s tweet reading “California is going to hell. Vote Trump!” The photo Sands tweeted said Trump’s tweet was retweeted by an account with the username “David Valadao.”
Other Twitter users pointed out that Valadao tweets from an account with the name “David G. Valadao.”
Sands then said her “photoshop skills leave something to be desired,” before attacking Valadao’s record in Congress, saying he voted with Trump 99% of the time.
Twitter users accused Sands of lying and spreading misinformation and tweeted to her that they reported her for breaking Twitter policy.
Sands did not respond to a request for comment, and neither did the Cox campaign.
In an emailed statement, Valadao said Sands’ behavior is reflective of her boss.
“Leadership starts at the top. TJ Cox has misled and, in some cases, outright lied to voters about my record during this campaign, and now his staffers are taking his lead,” Valadao said. “The Central Valley needs a leader they can trust and be proud of in Congress.”
It’s not the first time the Cox campaign accused Valadao of voting with Trump nearly all the time. In August, Cox aired an ad saying, in part, “…David Valadao sided with Donald Trump 99% of the time — making our life harder.”
Cox’s ads also have targeted Valadao’s record on issues such as immigration and health care.
While many of Cox’s claims about Valadao have been found technically true, they’re also misleading, according to an analysis by McClatchy Washington Bureau reporter Kate Irby.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 3:17 PM.