Blue Indiana has the scoop:
This morning, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee named Third Congressional District Candidate Mike Montagano to its Red to Blue Program. Candidates named to this program are considered to be amongst the top candidates across the country, having skillfully demonstrated that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.
“Mike Montagano’s appointment to the Red to Blue program is further proof that Hoosiers are tired of the economic mess we’re in and are clamoring for change. He is set to unseat Mark Souder and deliver results for the Third District,” said Dan Parker, Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party.
Souder, an anonymous GOP wingnut with a thin record of legislative accomplishments, gave the NRCC some heartburn in 2006, when he won by a 54-46 margin in this R+16 district — but only after the NRCC stepped in with several hundred thousand dollars worth in attack ads against Democratic candidate Tom Hayhurst.
Democrat Mike Montagano has been up on the airwaves in this district for the past couple of months, and internal polling from a few weeks ago showed him cutting Souder’s lead from 27 points to 13. Given the conservative tilt of this district, Montagano still faces an uphill battle against Souder, but this is a timely boost for the Democrat.
Calling Souder an anonymous wingnut is dead on. I think in this district, the best attack against him is for Montagano to ask “What has Souder done?” He really is one of the most unnecessary members in the whole House.
The district is very, very Republican, but folks there are not hard right as much as traditional Republicans and moderately right of center, “Middle America” people. In other words, I think more of them are open to a Democrat than in most R+16 districts.
Elkart and Kosciusko Counties, in the western part of the district, are the most hard-line conservative, and there Montagano just has to hope to “manage the damage,” as they are not going to vote for any Democrat. The rest of the rural part of the district is somewhat similar to Tim Walberg’s bordering district in Michigan we are strongly contesting.
Which brings us to Allen County/Fort Wayne, which has about half of the district’s population. Dr. Hayhurst held Souder to a draw there last time, losing by less than 1000 votes out of like 80K cast, and clearly won Fort Wayne proper. I think this is the key to winning for Montagano — try to jack up the urban vote in the Fort, and try to not get creamed, especially in Elkart County.
It’s October and the DCCC is only funding the most obvious challengers. There are about 40 more on the Red to Blue program that haven’t seen a DCCC dime spent on their behalf. Will exoenditures be coming soon for at least some of the others on the list?
How old is Mike Montagano, anyway? I looked at his website and he appears to be very young.
Josh Segall is my question.
The only people left on Emerging Races who I think should get a upgrade are Segall, Shulman, Harlan and maybe Greenwald, Doherty and Callahan. Mainly Segall and Shulman though.
Last night at a Bobby Bright fundraiser, Artur Davis said that Segall is 4 points down. Hopefully there will be some polls coming out to get this race more attention.