OK, the title’s a little hyperbolic: the robots in question are only auto-dialers, not cyborgs with lasers. Anyone who’s tried to eat a quiet dinner in a swing state knows just how unstoppable they are, though. At any rate, the DCCC is unleashing the robot army against 12 of the most vulnerable House Republicans, and they’re engaged in a nice bit of jujitsu that might sow some doubts with conservative voters: going after the GOP for not voting for their precious tax cuts, and for not voting according to the wishes of their overlords at the Chamber of Commerce.
Did you know Congressman Thad McCotter voted against President Obama’s economic recovery plan, endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce? McCotter’s empty rhetoric can’t hide that he voted to raise the AMT tax on 22 million middle class Americans and against the largest tax cut in history.
McCotter (who’s ranked #5 on our Vulnerability Index) may be the marquee target here. Today’s New York Times has a piece on how McCotter, a junior member of leadership who represents a particularly economically-hard-hit district in Detroit’s middle-class suburbs (and one that Obama won 54-45), is getting an earful from constituents. Constituents, of course, who might specifically benefit from provisions in the stimulus, such as incentives for car buyers and federal purchasing of new car fleets. (The NYT article also includes quotes from Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon, who may be a top-tier 2010 opponent in this usually neglected seat, although he may also be eyeing the governor’s race.)
Here’s the full target list:
Representative Judy Biggert (IL-13)
Representative Ken Calvert (CA-44)
Representative Michael Castle (DE-AL)
Representative Charlie Dent (PA-15)
Representative Jim Gerlach (PA-06)
Representative Mark Kirk (IL-10)
Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-09)
Representative Dan Lungren (CA-03)
Representative Thad McCotter (MI-11)
Representative Adam Putnam (FL-12)
Representative Dave Reichert (WA-08)
Representative Pete Sessions (TX-32)
While there are some unsurprising choices here (Reichert, Gerlach, Kirk, Dent), there are also some guys who held on by dangerously close margins in red districts (Luetkemeyer, Calvert, Lungren), and a few old-timers (Castle, Biggert) in blue districts who might need some encouragement to explore retirement. There are also a few current or former leadership members here, as is often the case in these kinds of targeted robocalls, but there’s some long-term thinking here, too: Putnam will be retiring, so it’s time to start priming FL-12 voters for an open seat race in 2010, while Sessions’ district is still red but undergoing a rapid yet under-the-radar demographics-driven bluening (McCain won TX-32 only 53-46).
I’m shocked the DCCC didn’t think about the top of the list catch for 2010 to be included in the robots’ target list. That guy went around saying he might vote for the stimulus and then chickened out at the last second (probably got an earful from Bobby Jindal).
That to me is despicable, especially coming from a district where foreclosures are high, and people desperately need jobs and infrastructure funding after the hurricane.
if the past two elections have taught us anything, it is that spending millions to win deep red seats with conservative Democrats is a waste of money if they are going to turn around and vote against us once in office. It is a much better investment to knock off Republicans in purple or blue-leaning districts with progressive Democrats, and should the national tide turn against us, we stand a much better chance of holding those seats.
Peter Roskam and Frank Wolf would have made better targets. Maybe Randy Forbes whose district looks similar to the one Tom Perriello picked up.