With the 2018 midterms coming up in just six months, many pro-cannabis activists are looking to oust anti-marijuana politicians in Congress. But it appears there’s one candidate they’re really going after.
A new political super PAC has formed to oust Texas congressman Pete Sessions. Sessions, a Republican who is not related to Jeff Sessions, is the House Rules Committee chairman. In his position, he’s prevented several bills and proposals to protect legalized marijuana states from reaching the House floor. He’s even prevented bills with support from members of his own party.
“I’d bet all my money that we could legalize medical marijuana but for Sessions,” Rob Kampia, who created the super PAC Texans Removing Outdated and Unresponsive Politicians, told the Washington Examiner. “[Sessions] is in fact what I call a sphincter who is constipating the process. … The reason we haven’t won is just process; it’s not content.”
Kampia plans to raise $500,000 to oust Sessions from Congress. Kampia says he supports Libertarian candidate Melina Baker, but he will also give money to whichever Democrat wins the race’s primary later this month. In fact, Kampia says he’ll support the Democrat regardless of their views on marijuana because getting Sessions out of Congress is that important.
“It doesn’t matter if they are good on marijuana — we just need [Sessions] out,” Kampia said.
Sessions ran unopposed in his 2016 re-election campaign, but Democrats think his district could be vulnerable after Hillary Clinton won it by two points. However, most political insiders say it’s still likely that Sessions will win the race.
