GOP congressman whines about his 'tough' life because of negative ads

Speaking to an addiction support group at a Virginia jail, Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA) compared the problems faced by incarcerated drug addicts to the “$5 million worth of negative ads coming at me.”

The inmates met with the Republican congressman and advocated for resources to help them fight addiction, as well as for changes to sentencing guidelines.

As an inmate explained to Brat that she faces many difficulties in finding work and stability in her life after serving her sentence, the Republican launched into self-pity for what he faces on the campaign trail.

“You think you’re having a hard time, I’ve got $5 million worth of negative ads coming at me,” Brat said. “How do you think I’m feeling? Nothing’s easy. For anybody.”

Brat didn’t stop there.

“You think I’m a congressman, ‘Oh, life’s easy, this guy’s off having steaks every day. Baloney. I’ve got a daughter, she’s got to deal with that crap on TV every day,” the congressman continued.

“So it’s tough. No one out there’s got some easy life. Right?”

An odd moment from @DaveBratVA7th's visit to an addiction support group at Chesterfield County Jail: After an inmate describes some of the difficulties she'd face upon release, Brat says his life isn't all roses either, pointing to attack ads from @SpanbergerVA07 pic.twitter.com/uVDW4jsAhs

— Ben Paviour (@BPaves) October 18, 2018

Eventually, after lamenting about his struggles, Brat admitted that the incarcerated addicts trying to seek normalcy in the populace do have it “harder” than he does.

This isn’t the first time Brat has complained about how hard it is to be him. Last year, as his party was fighting to repeal health care reform, the tea Party Republican whined about people in his district who attended his town halls to voice their opposition to his party’s attacks on health care.

“The women are in my grill no matter where I go,” Brat said. Then, during an appearance on Fox News, Brat compared those pro-health care constituents to the rioting white supremacists in Charlottesville.

Brat represents Virginia’s 7th Congressional District and is facing a challenge from Democrat Abigail Spanberger in the midterm election.

Recent polling has shown a tie between the two candidates.

What Brat faces, even in a competitive election, is nothing like the hardship faced by those addicted to drugs, particularly in prison. That the thought even crossed his mind — and worse, that he went ahead and said it aloud — is a testimony to how out of touch he is with the world and the people he’s supposed to represent.