Democrats Trying to Build Firewall Around Strongest Candidates to Hold Off GOP
Posted:
09/5/10
Fearing the real possibility that they may lose control of the House, Democratic leaders plan to winnow the races into which they will pour money in hopes of building a firewall around candidates who are in the best positions to hold their seats, The New York Times reports.
The Times says that strategists will do a "brutal triage," which will result in redirecting resources from districts that are slipping beyond reach to about two dozen where the odds for victory are best.
Races that are believed to have particularly vulnerable Democrats include those of newcomers who won Republican seats during the last two pro-Democratic election cycles -- like Betsey Markey of Colorado, Tom Perriello of Virginia, Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio and Frank Kratovil Jr. of Maryland -- as well as more senior members, like John Spratt of South Carolina and Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, according to the Times.
Spratt, the senior member of South Carolina's House delegation with 28 years in Congress, is facing "the fight of his political life" in a district where, at another time, he might have been "just another powerful incumbent cruising to easy re-election," according to The State (Columbia., S.C.) newspaper.
The paper said his Republican opponent, state Sen. Michael Mulvaney, has tapped into a "palpable anger" over the long economic downturn, the loss of jobs and deep skepticism about the bank bailouts, federal stimulus package and health care reform.
The Republicans need to pick up 39 seats to win control of the House. The Times reported that Democratic leaders acknowledge that about 20 seats are already probably lost.
Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Democratic Party chairman Tim Kaine acknowledged that the polls "are challenging right now" for Democrats.
On the same program, Republican Sen. John McCain said that this year's midterms could be a "seismic election." But noting that "when you look at the approval ratings of (congressional) Republicans, they're just as bad as Democrats," McCain said Republicans have to come up with an agenda "to give Americans a reason to be for us rather than be just against the Democrats and the president."
The Times says that strategists will do a "brutal triage," which will result in redirecting resources from districts that are slipping beyond reach to about two dozen where the odds for victory are best.
Races that are believed to have particularly vulnerable Democrats include those of newcomers who won Republican seats during the last two pro-Democratic election cycles -- like Betsey Markey of Colorado, Tom Perriello of Virginia, Mary Jo Kilroy of Ohio and Frank Kratovil Jr. of Maryland -- as well as more senior members, like John Spratt of South Carolina and Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, according to the Times.
Spratt, the senior member of South Carolina's House delegation with 28 years in Congress, is facing "the fight of his political life" in a district where, at another time, he might have been "just another powerful incumbent cruising to easy re-election," according to The State (Columbia., S.C.) newspaper.
The paper said his Republican opponent, state Sen. Michael Mulvaney, has tapped into a "palpable anger" over the long economic downturn, the loss of jobs and deep skepticism about the bank bailouts, federal stimulus package and health care reform.
The Republicans need to pick up 39 seats to win control of the House. The Times reported that Democratic leaders acknowledge that about 20 seats are already probably lost.
Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Democratic Party chairman Tim Kaine acknowledged that the polls "are challenging right now" for Democrats.
On the same program, Republican Sen. John McCain said that this year's midterms could be a "seismic election." But noting that "when you look at the approval ratings of (congressional) Republicans, they're just as bad as Democrats," McCain said Republicans have to come up with an agenda "to give Americans a reason to be for us rather than be just against the Democrats and the president."