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David Perdue took the cheap and easy route.

The Republican Senate candidate in Georgia, like Republican candidates in most other competitive races, calculated that the surest road to victory was to tie his opponent, in this case Democrat Michelle Nunn, to President Obama.

The president himself said, make no mistake, these policies are on the ballot, Perdue said in a TV ad last week. As a photo of Obama with Nunn filled the screen, Perdue continued: Thats why he wants her in the Senate.

It was typical of Perdues campaign strategy of trying to run against Obama. What was not typical was Nunns response: She ran a spot of her own, featuring the same photo of herself with Obama.

Have you seen this picture? she asks viewers. Its the one David Perdue has used to try and attack me in this campaign. As the image shifts to a photo of George H.W. Bush with his hand on her shoulder, Nunn goes on: But what he doesnt tell you is that it was taken at an event honoring President Bush, who I worked for as CEO of his Points of Light Foundation. Throughout my career Ive been able to work with Republicans and Democrats, and thats the same approach Ill bring to the U.S. Senate.

Nunn, daughter of the legendary Senate Democratic centrist Sam Nunn, may yet lose the race. But she is doing far better than expected in her run despite the hostile year and terrain for Democrats. A big reason for this: Shes showing authenticity and courage at a time when both are in short supply among Democratic candidates.

Nunns comfort in her own skin is in sharp contrast to other Democrats on the ballot, who are making awkward maneuvers to distance themselves from Obama and much of the Democratic Party.

In Kentucky, Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes ran an ad declaring Im not Barack Obama. In Louisiana, an ad from Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu showed her saying the administrations policies are simply wrong on oil and gas production.

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) boasted in an ad that he took on Obama on Arctic oil production and voted against President Obamas trillion-dollar tax increase. (Actually, the vote was a Republican stunt.) Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) bragged of opposing gun restrictions Obama favored, proclaiming, No one from New York or Washington tells me what to do.

And then theres Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) who skipped an Obama visit to his state and made the absurd claim that, at the White House, the last person they want to see coming is me.

Originally posted here:
Milbank: Meet the one Democrat who is not running from Obama