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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

NRCC Stretching to Defend Expanding Playing Field

Posted by James L.

From the Hotline:

Competitive races are popping up in some very surprising places.

The NRCC just began direct-mail hits against Victoria Wulsin (OH 02) and CA 50's Francine Busby (remember her?). Republicans are phone banking against Charlie Brown (CA 04) and have spent nearly $500K against Jerry McNerney (CA 11). These were hardly top targets even one month ago.

A new Mason-Dixon poll demonstrates how races are popping up in unusual territory. In CO 05, which has never elected a Democrat, Jay Fawcett (D) is tied with state Sen. Doug Lamborn (R) at 37%.

How much more of this can Republicans take? Spending resources against people like Francine Busby (I can hardly believe it), Charlie Brown, and Jerry McNerney--all challengers facing uphill climbs in strongly Republican districts in California--is definitely not something the NRCC had in mind a month ago. I've been reluctant to predict that we'll see a "wave" election this fall, but the NRCC is scrambling to deal with one. The receipts don't lie.

But for Democrats to take advantage of the NRCC spreading its defensive game thin, the DCCC is going to need even more resources than what they've got already. Markos has it right: House Democrats sitting on large warchests in safe districts need to give, and give generously, today (I'm looking at you, Rob Andrews) to help secure a Democratic House this November.

Posted at 04:58 PM in 2006 Elections - House | Technorati

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Comments

Rob Andrews is sitting on and will continue to sit on that money in hopes that he will run for Senate when Lautenberg retires. He could help Linda Stender or Paul Aronsohn. Then if they won he'd have their support as the nominee!!! PAY UP

Posted by: jerzay at October 10, 2006 06:08 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

The Foley scandal has pushed every race closer to the dems, but more so for the ones directly involved.

Here in the NY-19, CQ just updated their raitings because John Hall (the dem) is a strong campaigner, NY is running blue this year and most important:

Sue Kelly was Page Board Chair from 1999 to 2001.
You can check the article here:
http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/10/kellys_connections_to_foley_sc.html

I know I post a lot about this race but its all so intresting to me and I've been getting involved and i hope anyone else in the district or outside it will too.

-- MrMacMan

Posted by: MrMacMan at October 10, 2006 07:29 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

The Modesto Bee which has always endorsed Pombo, including in the primary, has now come out for Mc Nerney. Strongly worded and quite a shocker:
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/story/12858783p-13541818c.html

Posted by: Predictor at October 10, 2006 08:31 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Maybe this is why they are spending money on Bilbray....

Dear Democrat:

Months after our inquiry into apparently illegal claims of residency by Rep. Brian Bilbray, the San Diego County Democratic Party has continued to call for answers and accountability from the Congressman who took office in June.

We've recently heard reports that the San Diego District Attorney's Office has impaneled a Grand Jury to investigate our complaint.

The Democratic Party had asked whether Bilbray's sworn claims of multiple primary residences amounted to perjury or voter fraud. If our concerns are substantiated, it would appear that Bilbray broke the law in the very district whose past representative is now in federal prison for betraying the public's trust.

With Bilbray up for re-election on November 7, we believe voters should know the truth about his maneuvering to replace the criminally corrupt "Duke" Cunningham in the 50th Congressional District. Therefore, we call on our supporters to take action:

(1) Contact the DA's Office at (619) 531-4051 and demand that more information be made public about this investigation, which is officially described only as "ongoing."

(2) Contact Brian Bilbray's district office at (760) 737-8438 or his campaign at (858) 457-5500 and demand that he legally support his various claims of residency or resign his seat.

Our original letter to the San Diego District Attorney (5/17/06) refers to Bilbray's signed voter registration -- days after the Cunningham story broke -- declaring a Carlsbad address to be his "residence and domicile" under penalty of perjury (6/21/05).

Less than two months after re-registering, he signed a new deed of trust for his home in Alexandria, Virginia (8/25/05). He did not indicate that the home was anything other than his "principal residence," which the deed would have explicitly forbidden.

In December of 2005, Bilbray's children testified under oath that they lived in Virginia with their father. The context was a lawsuit in which Bilbray claimed his children were out-of-state residents who deserved to pay the same tuition as undocumented immigrants who lived in-state. A few months later, he signed a formal declaration of candidacy to run for Congress (2/23/06), citing his mother's house on Unicornio Street in Carlsbad as his residence.

Throughout this entire period, he was receiving a homeowner's tax exemption on his property in South County's Imperial Beach, where neighbors had spotted him in the community ever since he began to run for the North County seat.

Now the candidate is an incumbent, but in the wake of recent congressional scandals our demand is more timely than ever. This sequence of events raises pointed legal questions, not to mention questions about whose interests Bilbray truly represents.

The convening of a Grand Jury in this case would indicate a level of significance that calls for full disclosure-- before, not after, the election. Voters will again choose their Member of Congress in less than four weeks. Residents of the 50th District deserve honest and ethical representation, and Brian Bilbray's record falls far short.

To join our effort to restore integrity in public office, please contact us at (858) 277-3367 orinfo@sddemocrats.org.

Jess Durfee

Chair, San Diego County Democratic Party

Posted by: grover9451 at October 11, 2006 12:10 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment