Posted on 07/13/2006 10:26:52 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
House Republicans say they are growing more optimistic about their chances this November after a politically disastrous stretch and repeated fumbles that fomented discord within the party.
The newfound optimism is grounded in what Republicans say is a shift in the political winds — and their fundraising prowess.
In preparation for midterm elections, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has been tapped to helm the Battleground program, the GOP’s final fundraising push of the 2006 election cycle.
Cantor, the chief deputy to Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), is tasked with raising $17.5 million, the GOP’s target for the program.
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) named Cantor as chairman for the final fundraising drive during yesterday’s regular weekly House GOP meeting.
The official launch of the Battleground program coincides with an improving mood within the Republican Conference, which some leaders have taken as a sign that the GOP will fare well this fall.
“We have to raise money to sustain and to win,” House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) told a group of reporters after the conference meeting. “People are anteing up, and we’re looking forward to increasing our majority next year.”
This is the first time in recent history that a senior Republican lawmaker has even discussed the possibility of increasing the GOP majority in the House this election cycle. Many Republicans have said they would be extremely pleased if they retain control of the lower chamber.
Congressional Democrats are quick to point out that they have outraised their GOP counterparts and believe that any optimism Republicans are expressing is unfounded.
During the House Republicans’ meeting, Reynolds implored members to raise money for their colleagues and said the Battleground program is crucial in helping Republicans retain their majority. He applauded Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) in particular for working so hard to hold a competitive district.
Cantor will be assisted in his fundraising efforts by seven deputies: Reps. Patrick McHenry (N.C.), Adam Putnam (Fla.), John Shimkus (Ill.), Todd Tiahrt (Kan.), Cathy McMorris (Wash.), John Mica (Fla.) and Lamar Smith (Texas).
Members have varying targets based on their seniority in the conference, from the lowest level of $70,000 to the top level for leaders and A-level committee chairmen of $550,000, said Carl Forti, the communications director for the NRCC.
The money goes directly to the NRCC, GOP aides said, and members can either write checks directly from their own campaigns accounts or ask individual donors and political action committees to write checks to the campaign committee in their name.
Hastert, Blunt and Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) offered Cantor checks worth $150,000, $500,000 and $550,000, respectively, during yesterday’s conference meeting to get the fundraising drive off to a good start.
Although the final fundraising deadline for the Battleground program is set for Oct. 11, Cantor warned members yesterday not to get into “a deadline mentality” and encouraged them to contribute as early as possible so that the NRCC will have more freedom to spread the money around.
Republicans in the House launched their Battleground effort in the wake of news events that have been favorable to the GOP.
The California special congressional election last month was a tremendous relief for Republicans in the House, even though many had dismissed its significance on the eve of that election. It came the same week that insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in Iraq and coincided with an extension of tax cuts on dividends and capital gains.
This week, Republicans crowed about new figures showing that the budget deficit is smaller than had been anticipated.
While Republican leaders have had a hard time corralling their members on a number of votes this year, leaders and rank-and-file members have said passing the budget resolution through the House was the biggest hurdle and significantly eased the way for all of the spending bills, allowing members to complete their most basic duty on Capitol Hill.
“Look, it’s a competitive environment for Republicans,” Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) said earlier this week. But the former NRCC chairman said recent news was finally starting to give Republicans a boost.
“Katrina put us in the basement, and we stayed there,” Rep. Tom Feeney said, but the Florida Republican said momentum had turned back in their favor.
Regardless of how Republicans feel now, a Democratic campaign spokesman said it was a long way between now and November, and he welcomed the GOP exuberance.
“I hope they think they have the momentum up until Election Day,” said Bill Burton, communications director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The fact of the matter is that they have not spent a lot of time at all in this Congress focused on issues that people care about.”
For example, Burton said, Republicans have made a major issue out of immigration this campaign season, even though Congress has not yet approved a reform bill.
“They’re waging a single-issue campaign on an issue they don’t have any accomplishments on,” Burton said.
Burton also said it is one thing to feel relief and express a sense of momentum in Washington but it is another to show momentum in each of the competitive districts.
“If they’re so confident, let’s see what their polling says,” Burton said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a former House member, agreed that Republicans are in trouble. He recently told columnist Robert Novak that GOP leaders are misreading the pulse of voters and could lose both chambers of Congress this year.
Recent news has not all been good for House Republicans. They did get a boost in Texas last month when the Supreme Court upheld all but one of the seats in its review of that state’s congressional map. But to the delight of Democrats, a Texas judge ruled that former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) must remain on the ballot. The ruling, which has been appealed, could help Democrats win DeLay’s seat in November.
In addition, a divide on spending issues continues within the party, simmering since internal fights on the lobbying reform bill, the budget and a series of appropriations bills.
That debate has made its way to the primary battlefield, where conservative candidates are repeatedly squaring off against centrist Republicans. In many of those fights, the conservative Club for Growth has become increasingly hostile toward some centrist Republican candidates, roiling some senior GOP lawmakers.
“Club for Growth clearly could care less about the Republican Party,” Davis said.
Indeed. And Conservative who can't think of a reason to go vote Republican (which is insane), should get a picture of Murtha to look at all the time. That's reason enough right there in addition to the multitude of other reasons to keep liberals from ruining this country with their defeatist war policies, higher taxes, destructive open border pilicy, and liberal revisionist history activist Judge mindset.
All the 'rose-colored glasses' analysis in the world won't reveal the real reason: the public is starting to realize that the House is their last hope against an increasingly liberal Senate run amuck. Witness their taking a stand and refusing to accept the Senate's position on illegal immigration.
It's real simple guys. Stay true to the conservative values. Stop being Rinos. Speak directly to the American people. Close the borders.
TexasPatriot8 wrote: " The ten most major issues and the Democrats are solidly on the losing side of all these issues and so that leaves them very little but shadows and card tricks to run on. "
I agree. Why would I vote for a Democrat or not vote for a Republican who supports 90% of my own agenda? It all comes down to whether your representative and senators are doing what you want. I'm not going to cut the throat of my guy just because people in some other states elect jerks. For the reasons you've stated, conservative representatives and senators CAN win in most areas of the country, simply because they share the same views as the majority of Americans.
No 5 is all too true.
Hewittless is nothing but a sock puppet hush puppy! He's worse than a RINO! He's a PART-TIME RINO!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!
EXACTLY! It truly is just that simple. Quit being milk toast and courting "independents" who are really mostly just closet Democrats and not open to having their minds changed. Be conservative, talk conservative, stand up and fight like a conservative, and the GOP will win big.
What you said is the crux right there. The Demcorats believe that Bush hatred can take them into power. They just don't understand. They're so used to knowing that their constituancy are stupid non-thinking big D drones, they now assume ALL Americans are like that. What slow learners. I can't WAIT till the days after the election when the Democrats lose House and Senate seats. That's going to be so much fun. Everytime it happens it is more fun than the last time. :)
Right. They care about conservative economic growth principles that "centrist" RINOs could not care any less for.
You are way off base this time, Buckwheat. I am closer to being Atilla the Hun than I am to being a Democrat or a liberal.
And these may be Dem talking points, but unfortunately, in this case they are true. The Repubs had their shot and they threw it away. They tried to be "compassionate" and play nice with the Dems and as a result got nothing accomplished, other than disaster.
You don't play nice with Dems and Libs and Socialists and Commies, you run them over. The GOP had the numbers and power to do so, and pissed it away because there aren't enough testicles in Washington to fill a thimble.
I'm done with Republicans and I never was a Dem. Republicans, at least in their current incarnation, are just a bunch of RINO's out for themselves, and to hell with the people and future generations. I'm not the only one who feels betrayed. There is always a price to be paid in life and in politics for betrayal. Therefore, I predict a GOP bloodbath, and an incumbent bloodbath, in November.
All this from a man that voted for "Jorge" twice. Never again. You can go stick your head in the sand, but we aren't in Kansas anymore, Toto.
Same old same old. "Whaaa! You are not doing only what I want whaa! I hate you, Whaa"
Don't the welded shut minds of the Whine ALL the Time choir ever get tired of posting the same whiny crybaby tempertantrums 10,000 times a day.
Note to the Perpetually Bitching. DO you suppose, even for a heartbeat, you could give up this continual whining and actually STAND for something?
The rest of us Freepers are completely tired of your inablity to do ANYTHING but endlessly bitch at your OWN side.
Lesson for the Political Tempertantrum crowd. A glass 70% full of Conservativism is much better then a glass 100% full of Leftist posion. ON the Judges issue alone, Conservatives have gotten FAR more out of Bush then then ever got out of Reagan.
Give the daily tempertanrums a rest. We are sick of this non stop propagandzing on behalf of the Democrat Party from you political Know Nothings.
And so could a lot of other conservatives, when the Party continues to ignore their voices. Those Republicans who couldn't care less about conservative values will receive the same consideration from conservatives.
You are aware of the fact that less than a quarter of the Senate Republicans are RINOS and less than 1/30th of the House Republicans are RINOs right? To say that the whole Republican party is now just a bunch of RINOs is crazy. That totally disrespects the majority of the active voting GOP constituancy which is strongly socially and fiscally Conservative. If you don't vote for conservative Republicans in November, then you're helping Liberals get elected and you're part of the problem. I'm not trying to be harsh, but this is hard ball being played with high stakes and wars going on. WarS, multiple ones. There IS no sideline on this game. Not voting, or voting for some silly COnstitution or Libertarian party is just as bad as voting Democrat. Neither of them have a shot of winning ever, and the REAL solution is for ALL real conservatives to vote for Conservative Republicans whenever possible, and RINOs only when necessary, because as annoying and weak willed as RINOs are, they're STILL better than liberal Democrats that would replace them, and do less damage. And at any rate, those RINOs keep there from being a Democrat majority in the Senate, and THAT is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE to the safety and security of this country. You REALLY need to pray and rethink your decision to not vote Republican until the GOP is solidly conservative across the board. The conservative's like you that won't vote for Republcians are why it is harder to make that happen and why it takes more time. If every frustrated Conservative would show that frustration by voting for and strongly supporting the most conservative Republican in the primaries each time, and then the most conservative candidate in each race, even if it's a RINO, that would make the chance quicker. No matter how bad they are 10 RINOs in the Senate are less damaging to America than 10 more liberal Democrats in the Senate. All this is very clear, and fact, not my opinion. Hope you'll think about it. :)
Excellent post. Your arguments are very well stated and backed up. I will think about it. It's the least I could do with a request from a fellow Texan!
1. Raise money. 2. Use it to fund pork projects to try to buy votes. 3. Attack conservatives who object to all the spending. 4. Sell out America in attempt to win hispanic vote. 5. Post more 'Day in the Life' threads on FreeRepublic."
Sad but true BUMP! You might amend 3 to be more specific, and state "Attack the person of" or "Attack and insult" conservatives...but generally, you're dead on.
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