(Opinions Expressed by these sites are not necessarily those held by us. So don't even try to blame us for things they say. It will just make you look lame. Seriously.)
Posted by Brandon English
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 1:33 PM
DCCC Press:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today announced the first round of Red to Blue candidates challenging Republican incumbents. This is the second slate of Democratic congressional candidates that have qualified for the competitive DCCC Red to Blue program, the first slate was for candidates in open seats. These candidates earned a spot in the program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals and skillfully demonstrating to voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.
"These candidates have come out of the gate strong and the Red to Blue Program will give them the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive in November," said Chairman Chris Van Hollen, Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "The candidates for change in our first round of challenger Red to Blue are strong examples of Democrats who represent a commitment to new priorities for the families in their districts."
The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. The program will introduce Democratic supporters to new, competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for these campaigns.
Chairman Van Hollen joined Red to Blue co-chairs Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Artur Davis (D-AL), and Bruce Braley (D-IA) to announce the first 13 challenger candidates for change who qualified for the Red to Blue:
Kay Barnes (MO-06)
Anne Barth (WV-02)
Darcy Burner (WA-08)
Robert Daskas (NV-03)
Steve Driehaus (OH-01)
Jim Himes (CT-04)
Christine Jennings (FL-13)
Larry Kissell (NC-08)
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)
Eric Massa (NY-29)
Gary Peters (MI-09)
Mark Schauer (MI-07)
Dan Seals (IL-10)
Red to Blue was a proven success in the 2004 and 2006 cycles. In 2004, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $7.5 million for twenty seven campaigns across the country with an average of more than $250,000 per campaign. In 2006, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns with an average of $404,000 per campaign. Red to Blue was also responsible for solidifying the structure of dozens of campaigns and making a real difference for Democrats across America.
Posted by Brandon English
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 10:43 PM
DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen released the following statement on Andre Carson's special election victory in Indiana's 7th Congressional District.
Congratulations to Andre Carson on his victory tonight. He is a tireless leader for the children and working families of Indianapolis.
I am grateful to the Congressional Black Caucus, Senator Evan Bayh and Indiana's Democratic Congressional Delegation for encouraging the people of this district to vote for change by supporting Andre Carson. Andre Carson will be a tremendous asset to our Democratic Caucus as we fight to strengthen our economy, end the war in Iraq, and restore the American dream to America’s middle class families.
We look forward to working with Andre Carson and local and state Democrats to ensure a Democratic victory in November.
Posted by Brandon English
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 9:57 PM
[UPDATED - 3/12/08 10:04 AM] - BE
Saturday's big Democratic win of Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat is just more proof that voters are looking for the big change that Democrats will deliver.
In South Florida, we have three strong Democratic challengers fighting for change against some of President Bush's most reliable rubbberstamps. Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-24) have rubberstamped President Bush's failed agenda time and time again. With only underfunded challengers as opponents, they have become entrenched politicians unwilling to respond to the will of the voters.
Those days are over. Democratic challengers Annette Taddeo (FL-18), Raul Martinez (FL-21), and Joe Garcia (FL-24) are running tough campaigns against the South Florida Republicans that will force them to defend their blind support of President Bush. With Bush's approval numbers mired in the 30's, that'll be no easy task.
The DCCC will be right alongside these candidates taking the fight to these loyal Bushies. The DCCC's sole mission is to elect Democrats to the House and that's just what we plan to do. We do it by ensuring our challengers have all the resources we need, knocking on doors, making calls and making sure no Republican attack goes unanswered.
While some of our Members may not always be able to actively campaign with every candidate, you can be assured that the DCCC will be there.
In a recent blog post at Swing State Project, there was frustration against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz's call that she would not be campaigning for South Florida candidates. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz works tirelessly to help elect more Democrats to Congress. She has made clear that she supports the DCCC involvement in these South Florida races and has made sure that a Member who could completely throw themselves into those races would be assigned to them.
These Florida districts are ready for the big change that Democrats will deliver with a Democratic President and a strong Democratic Majority. Let's keep the focus on beating Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-24).
Posted by Brandon English
Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 2:38 PM
DCCC Press:
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Jennifer Crider, DCCC Communications Director
RE: Illinois 14 Special Election Analysis
DATE: March 8, 2008
Bill Foster's victory in Speaker Hastert's former seat is the most powerful evidence yet that change is sweeping America's red and blue districts. It is a stunning rejection of the Bush Administration, its Republican allies, and presidential nominee John McCain. Republican candidates learned tonight that Senator McCain, who campaigned with the Republican nominee, cannot save them from defeat this November against strong Democratic challengers, even in districts that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush.
The NRCC spent 20 percent of its cash on hand on Illinois 14, which the Almanac of American Politics called, "traditionally some of the most heavily Republican territory in the country" and that former Speaker Hastert held for 20 years and was never elected with less than 64 percent of the vote. President Bush easily won Illinois 14 in 2000 and 2004. Senator John McCain, former Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Minority Whip Roy Blunt all aggressively campaigned for Republican candidate Jim Oberweis.
The Republicans defeat in Illinois 14 is symbolically catastrophic for the NRCC. Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged it would be spun: "My God, it's the end of the Republican Party'" [The Hill, 3/4/08].
The NRCC's loss in Illinois 14 is bad sign of things to come. 80 percent of the Republican open and Republican incumbent seats the DCCC is targeting this cycle have better democratic performances than Illinois 14. Forty out of the 50 seats the DCCC is targeting have Democratic performances of 45 percent or higher.
Republicans' loss of Illinois 14 is further evidence of the collapse of the Republicans in the suburbs, especially in affluent suburbs, that were once overwhelmingly Republican. Illinois 14 also indicates that Republicans are having increasing difficulty in the exurbs, dooming the long-term Republican strategy of expanding their vote in the fastest growing parts of the country.
Suburban districts led the way to the 30 seat Democratic gain in 2006. For example, Democrats won in Arizona 5, Arizona 8, Connecticut 6, Pennsylvania 7, Pennsylvania 8, New York 19, Florida 22, Colorado 7, and New Hampshire 2 to name a few. Democrats make gains in presidential elections in suburban areas and congressional voting in suburban districts now reflects their presidential performance. In 2008, Republicans are vulnerable in suburban districts, more demographically favorable than Illinois 14: Connecticut 4, New Jersey 3, New Jersey 7, Michigan 9, Illinois 10 and Illinois 11 to name a few.
This is the third special election this cycle that the NRCC has had to spend a significant percentage of it resources on a district with strong Republican performance. These suburban districts have higher cost media markets than other districts Republicans are defending this cycle.
The bottom line: 2008 is poised to be another good year for House Democrats. The NRCC simply can not afford to defend the districts of vulnerable incumbent Republicans and nearly 30 open Republican seats.
Posted by Brandon English
Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 2:32 PM
DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen released the following statement on Bill Foster’s special election victory in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District. The Democratic Majority in Congress has now grown to 232-198.
Congratulations to Bill Foster on his victory tonight. Bill Foster’s victory in the seat that was held by Speaker Hastert sends a political shock wave across America this election year. It is a stunning rejection of the Bush Administration, its Republican allies, and presidential nominee John McCain. Republican candidates learned tonight that Senator McCain, who campaigned with the Republican nominee, cannot save them from defeat this November against strong Democratic challengers, even in districts that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush.
Despite spending 20 percent of the their cash on hand, the NRCC was unable to hold a seat easily won by President Bush and held by Speaker Hastert for 20 years. Americans of all political stripes are rejecting Republicans’ divisive, status quo politics and turning to Democratic candidates for change. I am grateful to Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Barack Obama, and the Illinois Democratic delegation and candidates for encouraging the people of this district to vote for change by supporting Bill Foster.
Voters of all political stripes responded to Bill Foster’s commitment to change. With his unique background as a respected scientist and a successful businessman, Bill Foster will be a tremendous asset to our Democratic Caucus, as we continue fighting to strengthen our economy and ease the squeeze on America’s struggling middle class families.
Posted by Brandon English
Friday, March 7, 2008 at 6:29 PM
DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement on the news from the Labor Department showing 63,000 jobs were lost in February:
Today's report that America lost 63,000 jobs in February -- the most in five years -- is a sobering reminder of the troubling state of our economy and the consequences of President Bush's and Congressional Republican's failed economic policies.
The Democratic-led Congress continues to take aggressive action to fix our economy by passing legislation to lower gas prices, create jobs, and bring relief to middle class families who are losing their homes because of the ongoing foreclosure crisis. Passage of our recent economic stimulus package is only one example of the swift actions that Democrats are continuing to take to jumpstart our economy.
Now House Republicans are eager to rubber stamp a third Bush term by embracing Senator John McCain -- someone who admits to having a weak grasp of managing the economy. America cannot afford to have Senator McCain receive on-the-job training and gamble on another four years of misguided economic policies that have taken our country in the wrong direction.
Posted by Brandon English
Friday, March 7, 2008 at 1:34 PM
DCCC Press:
The DCCC filed a complaint today with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Jim Oberweis, the Republican Congressional candidate in IL-14, and Oberweis Dairy. Jim Oberweis illegally benefited from Oberweis Dairy resources when the Dairy filed and promoted a frivolous lawsuit against the DCCC for its ads hitting Oberweis on his hypocrisy of using polarizing rhetoric on illegal immigration while benefiting from illegal immigrants' labor.
"Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy know that the ads about Oberweis' hypocrisy of using polarizing rhetoric on illegal immigration while benefiting from illegal immigrants' labor are completely true," said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "We are filing this complaint to hold Jim Oberweis accountable for illegally using Oberweis Dairy resources to mislead voters about the fact illegal immigrants were found working at Oberweis Dairy stores. The Chicago Tribune editorial board said it best, Oberweis' 'campaign style has consistently been nasty ... and dishonest.'"
Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy have a pattern of engaging in this illegal activity. The FEC had previously sanctioned Jim Oberweis and Oberweis Dairy and fined them $21,000 for illegally using corporate resources for campaign purposes.
Posted by Brandon English
Friday, March 7, 2008 at 11:58 AM
The IL-14 special election to replace former Speaker Dennis Hastert is TOMORROW. The DCCC just released the following web video about Republican candidate Jim Oberweis:
[...]we watched Oberweis in his races for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, and for governor in 2006. We've watched this race for Congress. His campaign style has consistently been nasty, smug, condescending ... and dishonest.
He also made up Juan and Maria Garcia, a construction worker and a bank teller from Aurora who have three kids and haul in $54,778 a year. And DeKalb office manager Sheila Johnson, a divorced mother of two who makes $47,333. And Juan and Elena Marcos, who have a precious little baby boy and live on his $68,044 salary.
They're all pictured in a mailer for Oberweis' campaign for Congress in the 14th District.
[...]
Total fiction. All of it. These people don't exist. They were created by Oberweis' campaign, which bought stock photos to use in the ad.
The race to succeed former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R) is too close to call, and we've changed our rating of the race from Lean Republican to Toss-Up, in advance of Saturday's special election.
Jim Oberweis (R) and Bill Foster (D) have both spent heavily from their own pockets, and both the NRCC and DCCC are involved as well. A March 3-4 SurveyUSA poll for Roll Call (subscription required) showed Foster leading the race 52%-45%, but some private polling contradicts the Roll Call numbers.
Republicans are at serious risk of losing the seat, but they could benefit from turnout in the Republican-leaning district. It would be a symbolic victory for the Democrats, and NRCC Chairman Tom Cole predicted that if his party were to lose the seat there would be a flood of stories spelling out the end of the GOP. At least he knows what he's in for.
The race to succeed former House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the 14th Congressional District has gotten very ugly very fast. That doesn't say much for the candidates. It does suggest that a congressional seat once considered safely Republican is now in play.
You have Republican Jim Oberweis and Democrat Bill Foster running in a special election Saturday in a district that runs from the far western suburbs across northern Illinois almost to the Iowa border. The winner gets to hold the seat for less than a year. They'll run against each other again in November for a full term.
Oberweis, from Sugar Grove, is chairman of Oberweis Dairy. Foster, from Geneva, worked for 22 years as a physicist at Fermilab and started a company that manufactures theater lighting equipment.
This page is closer to Oberweis than Foster on several economic and foreign policy issues. But we watched Oberweis in his races for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2004, and for governor in 2006. We've watched this race for Congress. His campaign style has consistently been nasty, smug, condescending... and dishonest.
In 2004, he ran an ad in which he hovered over Soldier Field in a helicopter and said 10,000 illegal aliens come to the U.S. each day, "enough to fill Soldier Field every single week." The number was grossly inflated and the ad smacked of fear-mongering.
In 2006, he ran TV ads that used headlines from the Tribune and other newspapers to attack an opponent. But the headlines were fake. They hadn't appeared in the newspapers.
This year, Oberweis' campaign is based on the notion that his opponent is a big-spending liberal. Oberweis' TV and radio ads quote Foster saying, "There's nothing in life that you can't improve by pouring money at it. ..."
Foster did say that, at a League of Women Voters debate. But the transcript makes it clear he was talking about the federal government's "poor efforts" to improve air-traffic-control safety. His conclusion: "This is one example of a place I would look to save taxpayer dollars."
And Oberweis' immediate response at the debate? He said: "I find myself in the almost embarrassing position of tending to agree with Bill on some of his comments there."
The sum impression of Oberweis from four campaigns: He sees public office as an opportunity to pick a fight.
Bill Foster tells us that he will be a Blue Dog Democrat -- that is, part of the moderate caucus in the House that puts a high priority on controlling federal spending and returning to a balanced budget. He would almost certainly have to take a moderate Democratic line to hold this seat from a district that gave President Bush 55 percent of the vote in 2004 and 54 percent in 2000, and elected Hastert to 11 terms in the House.
He surely will be more willing than Oberweis is to listen to people with whom he disagrees. So we'll trust Foster when he says he would emphasize transparency, responsibility and bipartisanship in government. He is endorsed. [emphasis mine]
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