NRCC aims to protect at-risk House Republican incumbents

[ccharles000]

The National Republican Congressional Committee is launching a revamped incumbent retention program designed to help vulnerable House Republicans raise cash for their reelection campaigns — and warning members that the committee will not bail out those who are insufficiently prepared for competitive races.

The NRCC plans to unveil the first 10 incumbents who qualify for their Patriot Program at a Tuesday briefing to political action committees. The list includes a mix of GOP members, including veterans facing serious challenges for the first time, freshmen in competitive districts and lawmakers representing Democratic-leaning seats.

Among those on the list are Reps. Dan Lungren, Ken Calvert and Brian Bilbray of California, Judy Biggert of Illinois, Anh “Joseph” Cao of Louisiana, Thad McCotter of Michigan, Erik Paulsen of Minnesota, Leonard Lance of New Jersey, Christopher Lee of New York and Dave Reichert of Washington.

As part of the effort to assist these vulnerable members, the NRCC will be organizing fundraising events, bringing in high-profile Republican surrogates and committing resources to their campaigns. In exchange, the committee is demanding that candidates meet strict fundraising benchmarks and commit to assembling a strong campaign plan.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22667.html

[mascarax]

1. MN: Erik Paulsen - needs to go

Along with BS Crazy Michelle Bachmann.

The DFL needs to find someone to defeat Paulsen - and not let him get a 2nd term and get entrenched. In which case people vote for the same person over and over. This guy is close to Bachmann. They both need to go.

[grantcart]

2. Bilbray can be defeated if we get a strong candidate

[tanyev]

3. Say, did they ever get fined for misreporting their financials?

And did they ever manage to find a new treasurer that won't embezzle from them?


The National Republican Congressional Committee said last week that a former treasurer allegedly embezzled “hundreds of thousands” in campaign funds. The question now: Will the Federal Election Commission add insult to injury by slapping the committee with fines for misreporting its financials?

The FEC remains paralyzed for the moment, the result of a lingering confirmation fight between the White House and Senate Democrats. But after acknowledging that there was a $740,000 difference between the fundraising numbers the committee reported and its actual cash on hand — a partial result of the alleged embezzlement by Christopher J. Ward — NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and a top outside lawyer are already angling for lenient treatment from the commission.

“Our working relationship with the FEC has been good,” Cole said last week. “We were the victims here.”

There’s been no suggestion that the NRCC was complicit in the wrongdoing it alleges. Still, when campaign aides embezzled funds from Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) and Lockheed Martin, the FEC assessed fines ranging from $6,500 to $27,000.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9093.html