Month: March 2008

Last cycle, Chris Bowers (then of MyDD) launched a campaign to encourage Democrats in safe or unopposed seats to kick in 30% of their cash on hand balance to the DCCC.  Chris dubbed the project “Use It or Lose It.”  Members were identified and contacted (often by constituents) who encouraged the largesse.

At this point in the cycle, filing deadlines have passed for roughly half the seats in the House and a limited NRCC budget means that many House Democrats will face pretty clear sailing in the fall general election.  One thing the fine series of state and district profiles by plf515 proves, is that Democratic seats are on the whole far safer than Republican seats.  A tool like PVI actually underestimates how many of the seats are safe because some southern and Plains representatives pile up nice margins in districts with a Republican or neutral lean in the Presidential contest.

Last night, I saw the pretty much final results of California filing posted on their Secretary of State’s site.  Democrats filed in 51 of the 53 districts (missing CA-19 and CA-22), while Republicans left seven seats unopposed.  One of those candidates, Laura Richardson, faces primary opposition and has a small cash balance so she was left out but the other six were added to my list of cash resources.  

My previous list in a comment relied on my memory and judgement.  I have used plf515’s data for 2006, 2004, 2004 Presidential, and PVI to flesh out the profiles.  Even using Bowers’ 30% formula, the balances would be enough to add a stunning $20 million to the DCCC war chest.  Last time around, Chris shook out over $3 million.  The difference is mostly in improved fund raising now that the Democrats in the House have reclaimed the majority.  So, with some comments, here is the updated list.

Bud Cramer, AL-5  $1,788,433 retiring

Artur Davis, AL-7 $804,308

Davis was unopposed in 2006 and racked up a 75-25 win in 2004.  Bush was held to 35% and the PVI is D+7 in ALabama.  

Marion Berry, AR-1 $494,054

Berry is unopposed this cycle.  Even when opposed he totaled 69% in 2006 and 67% in 2004.

Mike Ross, AR-4 $721,925

Ross is also unopposed.  He won 75% in 2006 and was unopposed in 2004.

Ed Pastor, AZ-4 $1,222,975

Ed racked up 73-24 and 70-26 wins in 2006 and 2004.  His Arizona district sports a PVI of D+14.

Mike Thompson, CA-1 $1,009,587

Thompson posted 66-29 and 67-28 wins in incumbent friendly California in 2006 and 2004.  His district is D+10.

Tom Lantos, CA-12 (deceased recently) $1,375,049

I don’t know what the legal situation is here.  Prior to 1994, the unspent balance of a congress person’s campaign fund was theirs upon retirement.  Now it can only be spent on another federal campaign (Senate, Presidential).  Tom was a Holocaust survivor and clearly other projects would merit funding as well.

Dennis Cardoza, CA-18 $415,825 Unopposed

Brad Sherman, CA-27 $1,630,301

Brad won by 69-31 in 2006 and 62-33 in 2004.  His district is D+13.

Howard Berman, CA-28 $748,436 Unopposed

Henry Waxman, CA-30 $738,512 Unopposed

Xavier Becerra, CA-31 $489,718 Unopposed

Hilda Solis, CA-32 $182,435 Unopposed

Grace Napolitano, CA-38 $274,991 Unopposed

Allen Boyd, FL-2 $1,029,813

The veteran conservative Democrat ran unopposed in 2006 and won 62-38 in 2004.  Although the district is R+2 that is a deceiving number here.

Robert Wexler, FL-19 $1,361,082

Wexler was unopposed in both 2006 and 2004.  Wouldn’t have mattered as his district is a cozy D+21.

Neil Abercrombie, HI-1 $1,044,182

69-31 in 2006 and 63-34 in 2004 in a D+7 district.

Jesse Jackson, Jr.  IL-2 $645,335

I believe he has no Republican opposition and the Illinois primary is over.  Not that that would matter.  Jess Jr. piled up 85-12 and 88-12 margins the last two cycles and his district is an incredible D+35.  No misprint.  D+35.

Rahm Emanuel IL-5 $1,598,801

Rahm won going away piling up 78-22 and 76-24 margins from his D+18 district.  Politics 1 lists no Republican opponent but either way does it matter?

Jerry Costello, IL-12 $1,814,895

Costello was unopposed in 2006 but had a 69-29 cakewalk in 2004.  His district’s PVI is just D+5 but that is not a meaningful number in his case.

Pete Viscloskey, IN-1 $1,538,630

Viscloskey posted a 68-32 victory in 2004 and expanded it to 70-27 in 2006.  His PVI is D+8 in beet red (at a presidential level) Indiana.

Julia Carson, IN-7

Carson is deceased but she left only $118,000 in the bank for her campaign fund.

Ben Chandler, KY-6 $1,024,862

Chandler piled up an 85-15 margin in 2006 against a Libertarian and a 59-40 edge in 2004.  With Ernie Fletcher at the top of the ballot in 2008, Kentucky Republicans have a lot to hid.  Yes, it’s R+7 but he is safe, safe, safe.

Richard Neal, MA-2 $1,680,986

76-23 in 2006; Unopposed in 2004; D+13

Marty Meehan, MA-5 $4,997,012is year’s session to take the job as President of UMASS-Lowell.  Meehan publicly fought against the call to cash in some of his huge hoard calling it “extortion.”  Oddly, he is allied with Common Cause and is the co-father of campaign reform in the House (Shays-Meehan).  He fought against the blogs and group efforts before while he continued to raise obscene amounts to further pad a huge bank roll.  Don’t know if you can chip it now, Marty, but if not, a lot of this should have funded Nikki Tsongas’ campaign for your seat.

John Tierney, MA-6  $1,293.230

70-30;70-30,;D+11

Stephen Lynch, MA-9 $1,189,148

78-22; unopposed; D+15

William DeLaHunt, MA-10 $1,749,866

64-29; 66-34; D+9

Steny Hoyer, MD-5  $1,564,746  D+9

Chris Van Hollen, MD-8 $1,992,828  D+20

plf had not updated in Round 2 for Maryland but these are people who will kick in and will kick in beyond the 30%.  I have said some bad things over the years about Hoyer but he is a prolific fund raiser for other House members.

John Dingell, MI-15 $1,211,399

The old war horse has represented this district for over 50 years, the longest run in the House. Fwiw, his numbers are 76-23 in 2006. unopposed in 2004 and a D+13 district.

Bennie Thompson, MS-2  $848,842

64-36 in 2006 and 58-40 in 2004.  As his money edge grows, Thompson is stretching this out into an automatic re-elect in a D+10 “majority Minority” district.

Earl Pomeroy, ND-At Large $1,130,511

Pomeroy has been a half-hearted GOP target in years past.  The efforts keep getting weaker.

Rob Andrews, NJ-1  $2,383,585

Frank Pallone, NJ-6 $3,250,178

William Pascrell, NJ-8 $1,137,590

Steve Rothman, NJ-9 $2,002,787

Donald Payne< NJ-10 $983,940

All but Payne are rumored to be saving up lest Frank Lautenberg suddenly retire.  Andrews and Payne went unopposed in 2006 and none of the group has scored below 67% in either of the last two cycles.  Payne has a dandy D+34 PVI in his district.

The only other reason to hold on is smarmy Chris Chrisitie, the state’s US Attorney whose mission in life is to prosecute politicians.  Chrisitie was an equal opportunity prosecutor but now goes after only Democrats in order to save his hjob from Rove’s axe.  Crusader Rabbit has been accused of massive corruption himself by Blue Jersey for steering $3 million in contracts to well connected GOP allies and his old firm.  Chrisitie’s reponse is typical” go after Blue Jersey.

Shelley Berkley, NV-1 $1,159,484

Shelley represents Vegas and has 65-31 and 66-31 margins the last two cycles.  D+8  In this case what happens in Vegas should not stay in Vegas.

Steve Israel, NY-2 $1,004,593

70-30 in 2006; 67-33 in 2004; D+8

Carolyn Maloney, NY-14 $1,108,487; D+26

Her margins in this NYC district are 84-16 and 81-19.  It is hard to expand on 81-19 but she did it.

Charlie Rangel, NY-15 $2,265,159

My excel spreadsheet treated Bush’s 9-90 loss in the district as a date (September 1990).  Of course, Rangel runs ahead of his ticket:  he won 91-7 in 2004 and 94-6 in 2006.  His district’s PVI is D+43.

Once the fact or even possibility of a primary is over, these should be cash cows.  Rangel kicked in in 2006.  

None of the rest have election data so:

Marcy Kaptur, OH-9 $846,226 D+9

Darlene Hooley, OR-5 $467,45 D+1 retiring

Allyson Schwartz, PA-13 $1,619,431 D+8

Patrick Kennedy, RI-1 $700,939 D+16

Jim Clyburn, SC-6 $1,065,327 D+11

John Tanner, TN-8 $1,181,776 D+0

Lloyd Doggett, TX-25 $2,337,581 D+1

Ric Boucher, VA-9 $1,191,069

David Obey, WI-7 $1,235,145

Nick Rahall, WV $1,235,145

IIRC, Kaptur was thrust into a battle of incumbents when redistricted.  She may want the nest egg.

Tanner has higher aspirations.  Governor?  He’s a leading blue dog and (in general) many of the blue dogs have been generous within their group but nit so generous with the DCCC universe as a whole.

The total cash on hand for these individuals is a gawdy $66,832,840.  Uding the Bowers allocation of 30%, a maximum of $20,049,852 could be realized.  This is big money.  Half a million per race for 40 races.

Hays Research for the Jake Metcalfe campaign (3/10/08 – 3/12/08):

Jake Metcalfe (D): 45%

Don Young (R-inc): 37%

Democratic Nominee: 41%

Don Young (R-inc): 34%

MoE: ±4.9%

Let’s see, counting this poll, that’s one, two, three, four surveys in a row showing crumb-bum Young trailing his Democratic challengers.

At this point, the biggest danger for Democrats lies in Lt. Governor Sean Parnell’s primary challenge against Young.

(Hat-tip: TPM EC)

I recently caught wind of the following:

Following a week in which the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) lobbed several attacks on Congressman Scott Garrett’s (R-Wantage) skewed priorities, Congressman Steve Rothman (NJ-9) joined the General Wesley K. Clark, Teamsters Joint Council No. 73, New York Governor David Paterson, and numerous New Jersey political figures in endorsing Dennis Shulman’s campaign to unseat Garrett in New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District.

“After meeting with Dennis and hearing about him from people throughout Northern New Jersey, I am convinced that he will make an excellent Member of Congress.  I am committed to working with Dennis in 2008 so that, together, we can help solve the problems of New Jersey and the nation in 2009,” said Congressman Steve Rothman.

Did you catch that? Rep. Steve Rothman of New Jersey’s 9th congressional district just the other day endorsed Rabbi Dennis Shulman, who is taking on Republican Scott Garrett in New Jersey’s 5th CD. That is to say, an incumbent Dem endorsed a challenger running against a member of his own state’s delegation.

But what does DCCC Executive Director Brian Wolff have to say about endorsements like that?

Brian Wolff, executive director of the DCCC, says the bloggers are making “much ado about nothing,” noting that it’s “customary” for members to remain neutral in races involving GOP members of their respective congressional delegations.

Quick, someone call up Steve Rothman! He’s violating a long-practiced custom! How dare he! Does Chris Van Hollen know about this breach?

Seriously, folks, I think we know this “custom” is bullshit. Debbie Wasserman Schultz herself recognized this back in 2005, when she unhesitatingly supported challenger Ron Klein against fellow Floridian Clay Shaw:

“It’s not good for my relationship with Clay Shaw, but Democrats can’t afford to leave a seat like that uncontested,” she said.

Scott Garrett is a total recidivist crumb-bum, and the people of NJ-05 deserve better. Rabbi Shulman knows this, and that’s why he’s running to replace him. And Rep. Rothman knows this, too, which is why he’s backing Rabbi Shulman. Surely the good folks in South Florida deserve no less from Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Posted Wednesday night at West Virginia Blue.

I went to the peace vigil in Shepherdstown tonight. Five years of the occupation already. Some have been at it since before the Iraq invasion and occupation.

The event was moved to O’Hurley’s General Store due to the rain.

I saw many familiar faces from other peace events and political campaigns and I saw new faces as well. There were about 80 people in all in the large room where music and dances are sometimes held.  

It was a good mix of young students from Shepherd College and gray-haired veterans of the Vietnam War and of Vietnam War protests.

It had been cooler during the day, but had warmed after the rain stopped and a fire in the stone fireplace had died down to smoking embers. On a wet day, the wood-smoke made the room seem cozier.

A good friend who I had traveled to Fairmont with to canvass in the last days of the 2004 Kerry-Edwards race was at the entrance collecting money for Central Asia Institute. We hugged and I made a donation and got a couple of sugar cookies and a cup of tea.

There were a pair of guitarists singing. Then I saw Anne Barth, our WV-02 candidate for Congress, standing in the back of the room. She greeted me warmly. She really is a very nice woman. I was surprised to see her there not because she’s not a strong advocate for peace, but because I hadn’t seen any announcement of her attendance. She was there not to politic but to show solidarity with the others who want to support the troops and bring them home from Iraq.

She hadn’t planned on speaking, but one of the singers asked between songs if she would say a few words. Barth kept it brief. She introduced herself and said she remembered the day when Senator Byrd spoke out against the war and how the fax machines buzzed with people agreeing with him and others opposed to him. (Read his speech here.) She said she still gets chills thinking of his speech when he was one of the few voices with the courage in Congress to speak out in opposition before the war.

“Senator Byrd was right,” Barth said and people applauded. “I want to end this war and bring our troops home.”

Barth said she wanted to go to Washington and join him in his efforts to bring the troops home.

“The troops have served honorably. It is time they were brought home,” she said.

When she finished to loud applause, two more singers, a young, college age woman and a grayhaired man did a lovely duet of John Lennon’s Imagine.

It was a good event, solemn yet friendly with people united in purpose.

Afterwards another canvassing partner, JBdem4usa, took me out and bought me a beer, Mountaineer Stout, just like he said he would.

Definite House Retirements

District	Incumbent	Party	PVI	Age	Notes
AL-02	Everett	R	R+13.2	71	Retiring
AZ-01	Renzi	R	R+2.2	50	Retiring
CA-04	Doolittle	R	R+10.9	58	Retiring
CA-12	Lantos	D	D+22.5	80	Retiring
CA-52	Hunter	R	R+9.3	60	Running for President
CO-02	Udall	D	D+8.1	58	Running for Senate
CO-06	Tancredo	R	R+10	62	Running for President
IL-11	Weller	R	R+1.1	51	Retiring
IL-18	LaHood	R	R+5.5	62	Retiring
LA-04	McCrery	R	R+6.5	59	Retiring
ME-01	Allen	D	D+6.2	63	Running for Senate
MN-03	Ramstad	R	R+0.5	62	Retiring (?)
MS-03	Pickering	R	R+14.1	45	Retiring
NJ-03	Saxton	R	D+3.3	60	Retiring
NJ-07	Ferguson	R	R+0.6	38	Retiring
NM-01	Wilson	R	D+2.4	47	Running for Senate
NM-02	Pearce	R	R+5.7	61	Running for Senate
NM-03	Udall	D	D+5.5	60	Running for Senate
NY-21	McNulty	D	D+8.7	61	Retiring
NY-25	Walsh	R	D+3.4	61	Retiring
OH-07	Hobson	R	R+6.0	72	Retiring
OH-15	Pryce	R	R+1.1	57	Retiring
OH-16	Regula	R	R+3.6	84	Retiring
PA-05	Peterson	R	R+9.7	69	Retiring
WY-AL	Cubin	R	R+19.4	61	Retiring

*Denotes impending special election

Vacancies & Resignations

District	Incumbent	Party	PVI	Age	Notes
IL-14	Hastert	R	R+4.8	67	Resigned*
LA-01	Jindal	R	R+18.5	37	Elected Governor*
LA-06	Baker	R	R+6.5	60	Cashing In*
MS-01	Wicker	R	R+10.0	57	Appointed to the Senate*

Potential House Retirements

District	Incumbent	Party	PVI	Age	Notes
AK-AL	Young	R	R+14.3	75	Under investigation
CA-24	Gallegly	R	R+4.8	64	Botched a retirement attempt in 2006
CA-41	Lewis	R	R+9.0	74	Under investigation
CO-05	Lamborn	R	R+15.7	54	Primary challenge
DE-AL	Castle	R	D+6.5	69	Health issues
FL-10	Young	R	D+1.1	78	Age issues/Speculation
GA-10	Broun	R	R+12.7	61	Primary challenge
IA-03	Boswell	D	D+1.4	74	Health issues/Primary challenge
IL-03	Lipinski	D	D+10.3	42	Primary challenge
LA-02	Jefferson	D	D+27.8	61	Indicted
MD-01	Gilchrest	R	R+9.8	62	Primary challenge
MD-04	Wynn	D	D+29.8	57	Primary challenge
MD-06	Bartlett	R	R+12.8	82	Age issues
MO-06	Graves	R	R+4.8	44	Potential gubernatorial run
MO-08	Emerson	R	R+11.0	58	Potential gubernatorial run
MO-09	Hulshof	R	R+6.5	50	Potential gubernatorial run
MI-03	Ehlers	R	R+9.0	74	Speculation
NC-09	Myrick	R	R+12.2	67	Speculation
NY-23	McHugh	R	R+0.2	60	Speculation
OH-02	Schmidt	R	R+13.1	56	Primary challenge
TN-09	Cohen	D	D+18.1	59	Primary challenge
TX-04	Hall	R	R+17.1	85	Age issues/Primary challenge
VA-11	Davis	R	R+0.6	59	Mulling retirement

Jeanne Shaheen has bounced back in the latest ARG

poll, taking a 47% to 33% lead over John Sununu.

The swing is nearly all from independents, who now favor Shaheen 61-13(!).  And 26% of independents are undecided, so they will decide the race as Sununu wins GOP voters 81-1.

I think race has a lot more twists and turns (and swings) ahead.

Disclosure: Member of Joe Garcia’s media team.

I spoke with Joe earlier and he is very appreciative of the enthusiasm and support from the Dailykos, Open Left, and Swing State Project communities on the Blue Majority endorsement and wanted to say thank you. This campaign started in the Netroots and he wants to actively involve the blogosphere and progressive community in his campaign and if elected, in Congress.

Today the campaign released the following statement.

 

We are at a transformational moment in South Florida history and Joe is leading the way with a new vision for our community.

– Revitalizing our economy

– Quality healthcare that's affordable, accessible and reliable

– A real plan to save our Everglades and combat global climate change

– Fixing a Washington that's broken

– A safe and responsible end to the Iraq War

These are the issues that Joe is talking about. This is why a local campaign is now turning into a national movement.

There are many reasons why Joe and this district are a perfect match for progressives. Here are some of my reasons.

The Cuban-American community of South Florida remains one of the last Republican strongholds in the country. A loss here would be detrimental for Republicans and would mean their time with Hispanics is up. A loss here would also be detrimental to the conventional foreign policy thinkers in Washington who gave us the family travel restrictions. Unlike other policitians on the Democratic side in Florida, Joe has shown courage on the Cuba issue and called for the easing of travel restrictions and allowing for the unification of families. This is a stand Rep. Wasserman Schultz and others have refused to take in 70% blue districts, yet Joe is making his case in a 54% Republican one. A victory here would be a clear rebuke of the Washington style of foreign policy. 

With the Everglades in the district, Joe wants to make the environment and taking on climate change one of the most important issues in the race. It would be tremendous symbolically to have someone who cares about the environment and will work to protect the environment, representing the region. Mario Diaz-Balart received a terribly sad 15% rating from the League of Conservation Voters, not a record any Congressman should be proud of, especially not one from such an environmentally important area. The environment hasn’t necessarily been a top issue among Hispanic voters in the past, but in this race, progressives can begin to reach out and speak to them on the topic, particularly in relation to the Everglades.

Joe has also taken courageous stands on the general issues of importance to every progressive.

On the Iraq War, he’s not going to give into Bush, he’s going to take them on.

Our brave men and women have performed honorably. They have done everything asked of them. But the solution in Iraq is not a military solution. I would have voted for funding only if it included a requirement that removed our brave men and women from policing a civil war, brought them home and shifted the responsibility of security in Iraq to the Iraqis. Part of what has to happen is for grassroots and netroots activists to play a bigger role so the Democratic Party finds its courage again. We’ve lost courage in the biggest issues of the day. We tend to be scared off by Iraq, rather than truly supporting our troops by bringing them home.

On Retroactive Immunity he makes a very good point and stands firm against any kind of immunity for telecom companies that broke the law.

The type of broad retroactive immunity advocated by the Bush Administration is not acceptable. The legal purpose of immunity is to use the protection granted by such immunity as an inducement to divulge information about what occurred. Immunity in this case would do the opposite: it would shut down any investigation into what actually occurred.

As the son of two Cuban-American immigrants, Joe also believes it’s critically important we act responsibly on immigration policy. Joe has continuously worked with members of Congress to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. Joe will add diversity to the Democratic Party and be a valuable spokesperson on issues relating to Latin America.

In this election we can accomplish two things. We can elect someone who’s going to lead the progressive cause in Congress and we can send the Republicans packing out of South Florida for good.

Let's make that happen together. Get involved in the campaign and contribute today on Blue Majority's page.

 

(Cross-posted from the AFL-CIO Now Blog.)

 

The fight for a pro-working family government doesn’t end with the race for the White House. Around the country, union members in key states are looking to elect new members of Congress who will help turn around America.

 

The Kentucky AFL-CIO has announced endorsements in key races for U.S. Congress and Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan says these candidates, and the issues they’ll fight for, will help mobilize union members to win this fall.

[We] endorsed on the basis of their of support for the issues of critical importance to Kentucky’s hard working men and women: good jobs, the right to organize, health care for all, retirement security and education and training opportunities.

Topping the list of the Kentucky endorsees is Bruce Lunsford, who’s running for U.S. Senate against Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader who’s led the fight against working family-friendly policies like a real economic stimulus bill and children’s health insurance.

McConnell is behind the strategy of obstruction that has allowed a minority of senators to block important legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act. He consistently has voted for Bush nominees for key federal agencies, including the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA) and the Department of Labor (headed by his wife, the worker-unfriendly Elaine Chao). In short, McConnell is the Senate’s key enabler of the anti-worker agenda. Lunsford has pledged to support the Employee Free Choice Act and to work with union members as they fight to ditch Mitch.

In addition to supporting Lunsford, Kentucky unions gave their strong endorsement to two incumbent House members and a challenger. Endorsements went to Democratic Reps. John Yarmuth of the 3^rd District and Ben Chandler of the 6^th District, as well as to Democratic state Sen. David Boswell, who’s running for the 2^nd District seat left open by retiring Republican Ron Lewis.

Union members were crucial to the stunning 18-point victory for Gov. Steve Beshear last November, and the Kentucky AFL-CIO is looking to build on its success with these endorsements for the U.S. House and Senate.

In addition to working to elect Lunsford and Boswell and re-elect Chandler and Yarmuth, Londrigan says the Kentucky AFL-CIO will focus on exposing the record of Sen. John McCain.

In Oklahoma, state Sen. Andrew Rice is running against Sen. Jim Inhofe, another Republican who regularly votes against working family-friendly policies on health care, wages and the freedom to form unions. Rice, who Oklahoma AFL-CIO President Jimmy Curry called “a good friend of working men and women,” won the endorsement of the Oklahoma AFL-CIO on Tuesday.

In Idaho, where Republican Sen. Larry Craig won’t be returning to the Senate, former Democratic Rep. Larry LaRocco has won the endorsement of the Idaho AFL-CIO. Idaho AFL-CIO President David Whaley says members of the Idaho AFL-CIO’s Executive Board were impressed by LaRocco’s commitment to working family issues and his visits to work sites around the state.

The working families of Idaho are struggling to raise families, pay their taxes, support education, care for their aging parents and cope with the continued increase in health care costs. Larry LaRocco has been working in jobs all across Idaho and has heard first-hand about the challenges they face in their lives. When he is elected he will continue to work alongside these same families and make sure their voices are heard through his expressed support of the Employee Free Choice Act. We are proud to endorse him for the U.S. Senate.

The effort to elect more working family-friendly members of the House and Senate is an essential part of this year’s unprecedented mobilization of millions of union members.

From The Hill:

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) saw its cash on hand decline $1.3 million between January and February, as it spent more than $1 million on an unsuccessful special election and uncovered that hundreds of thousands were lost in alleged fraud.

The NRCC invested heavily in the race of Republican Jim Oberweis, who unsuccessfully ran for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) district earlier this month. Almost all of the $1.2 million the NRCC spent was recorded in its February report, which was filed Thursday. The alleged illegal funneling of money by one of the committee’s former employees, Christopher Ward, was revealed in a briefing last week.

All told, the NRCC raised $4.6 million in February, but it spent $5.1 million. Its final cash dropped from $6.4 million at the end of January to $5.1 million at the end of February, with $1.9 million in still-unpaid debt.

The NRCC reported its actual cash on hand at the beginning of the month to be $5.7 million, about $700,000 less than previously thought. It paid down just $400,000 in debt.

(Reposted from MyDD)

Ever since the New York Times suggested earlier this month that Oklahoma could be the critical 60th Democratic seat in the U.S. Senate, evidence backing up that statement has been pouring in.

First, Andrew Rice – an Oklahoma state Senator and the only challenger to incumbent/entrenched Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe – became the first U.S. Senate candidate to pick up the endorsement of the Sierra Club.

Earlier this week, we added Oklahoma’s AFL-CIO to Andew’s endorsement list. And Andrew was picked as one of seven top U.S. Senate challengers in Sen. Russ Feingold’s “Pick a Progressive Patriot” vote.

(more below)

Not surprisingly, even though things are changing around him, Jim Inhofe isn’t changing his ways. He’s continuing to vote with a small minority of his party against things like health care funding for pregnant women, better enforcement of product safety regulations (such as lead paint levels in toys), and a budget that would help middle-class families and veterans.

But conventional wisdom is changing, and this week, you can keep the momentum going. Voting for Andrew Rice as the next Progressive Patriot would chip away at the naysayers.  It would put Jim Inhofe on notice that it’s time to retire. And it would help replace Inhofe with someone who listens to the people of Oklahoma and puts the good of the nation ahead of moneyed special interests.

This race is moving into a small set of key races for 2008.  Inhofe is vulnerable – his polling numbers look like those of Conrad Burns and George Allen in 2006.  Andrew Rice is gaining momentum – his recent endorsements and other high-profile groups highlighting this as a key race are starting to break this race open.

Help Andrew this week by voting for him to be the next Progressive Patriot.  We have an excellent opportunity to raise Andrew’s profile on a national level, convince more people that we have a great chance to win this seat, and raise $5,000 from the Progressive Patriots fund – but, between now and Monday, we need your help to do it.

Best,

Karina Henderson

Rice for U.S. Senate