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Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen told the Bill Press Show on Friday morning that he will be stepping down from the committee, something he said he would do even prior to the elections.
This was brought up before, but now that the election is over, it's worth revisiting. Here are the NRCC and DCCC spending totals for NH-01:
NRCC: $1,025,398
DCCC: $9,116
Every penny of that NRCC money, btw, was spent in oppposing Carol rather than promoting Congressman-Elect Frank Guinta.
Some pundits are wondering why the Shea-Porter campaign spent so much time on Guinta's hair-on-fire scandal rather than staying positive. The reason is clear. Aside from NHDP, and some scattered grassroots assistance, there was no one else to do it. And evidence showed clearly that once voters knew about it and understood it, they were totally turned off from Guinta. In the meantime she was relentlessly pounded by NRCC and various outside groups like Revere America.
Carol Shea-Porter's opponent had (and has!) a significant and bi-partisan campaign finance scandal plaguing him. The most powerful right-wing institution in New Hampshire, the Union Leader, refused to endorse him. The former Republican officeholder in the district said he should drop out.
On the flip side, Carol, unlike so many of the Blue Dogs the DCCC spent money on, stuck her neck out for the President's agenda time and time again in the service of bettering the lives of Americans. In a tough district, but in one that decisively voted for the President in 2008.
This race was the DCCC's bread and butter. This is why they exist. And they made a decision to be MIA.
And now New Hampshire will be stuck with the spectacle at some point in the future of an embattled Congressman embroiled in an ethics and very possibly criminal situation. You mistake who I am if you think I will be happy about that.
Fire Chris van Hollen from DCCC and whatever circle around him made the decision to abandon one of Congress' finest public servants.
Until that happens, I see no reason why anyone from New Hampshire's first district should give a penny to DCCC ever again.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is expanding its list of ad reservations to 60 seats, bringing the total amount of money it plans to spend on races this fall to more than $49 million, according to a senior Democratic official.
...Here is the full list of seats in the DCCC's new set of reservations: Arkansas's 1st District, Arkansas's 2nd District, Delaware At-Large, Florida's 25th District, Hawaii's 1st District, Illinois's 10th District, Indiana's 8th District, Louisiana's 2nd District, Massachusetts's 10th District, Maryland's 1st District, Michigan's 1st District, New Hampshire's 1st District, New Hampshire's 2nd District, Oregon's 5th District, Pennsylvania's 7th District, Pennsylvania's 15th District, Tennessee's 8th District, Washington's 3rd District, Wisconsin's 7th District, and West Virginia's 1st District.
How many clickthroughs did Clickitico get during that two or three day non-story? How will the UL headline this one? So many questions.
Here's something you won't find in the Union Leader:
Yet US Representative Steve Israel, a Democrat from New York and the national recruiting chairman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Democrats are well positioned to fight for the New Hampshire seats.
"The New England map looks strong for us but that doesn't mean we're sitting back,'' said Israel. "We take nothing for granted, but we are very comfortable with how it's shaping up.''
And this is where the national party fundraising advantages, gained through greater enthusiasm for Dems nationwide, come in handy so close to November 5th:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's independent expenditure arm has reserved more than $2 million in the expensive Boston-New Hampshire media market, a four-fold increase from its initial media buy, according to a source with knowledge of the reservation.
Not nearly enough to counter a Manchester-based, statewide newspaper that spends every waking minute trying to defeat Democrats, but it's a start, and a welcome change from the darkest of the Bush years.
As Laura recently pointed out, the DCCC is coming to the defense of Carol Shea-Porter in light of the Orwellian named slime group Freedom's Watch's ad buy in the first district.
Well, the ad is out and here it is.
And relatedly: tracking these groups will be key this cycle. The NRCC, like the NRSC and the NHGOP (and increasingly the NRC) are getting spanked in their fundraising efforts compared to what Democrats are raising. So that's why we have an abundance of these shadow GOTV groups coming out of the woodwork: to prop up the unenthusiastic GOP base with lies and smears and sloganistic referenda.
Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has decided to opt in to the DCCC frontline fundraising program.
Shea-Porter had previously turned down the DCCC's offer, saying she preferred to be an independent candidate - but, she told her advisors at the time, that if the campaign got ugly and expensive, she would reconsider. Jeb Bradley launched negative radio and TV ads this past week.
It's clear that this campaign is going to be both negative and very costly. Shea-Porter is going to require the financial resources to fight back. The frontline program will help solicit contributions from Democrats all over the country who want to help Carol win, and keep NH blue!
This doesn't change anything, except that the DCCC will help fundraise nationally, as well as offer their advise and expertise.
It won't change the grassroots nature of Carol's campaign. It certainly won't change her as a candidate.
This is the comment she sent in to the UL today:
"I am proud to join hands with other Americans who are fighting to protect the middle class from Washington's special interest groups. The devastating reality in America today is that the middle class is struggling and the poor have fallen. In November, we will take another step towards defeating the divisive, special interest politics that working people have rejected."
Go Carol!
Be sure to stop at the CSP table tomorrow at the convention, and make a donation and sign up to volunteer!
Update (Dean): Personally, I think this is fantastic news. But before the wingers start crying foul over accepting Frontline status, let's be perfectly clear. Carol stated way back in July of 2007 that she reserved the right to come on to the program in response to our own Mike Caulfield's question on Political Chowder.
The DCCC is funding HRC's campaigning efforts under the guise of a Happy Birthday Card from Bill to Hil, how cute.
Damn, Bill missed Barack's bithday in August!
When you click to sign the card it takes you straight to Hillary HQ, where you can give your contact info and a Birthday Wish for Hil (optional).
Dear Whoever,
In 36 years, Hillary and I have shared a lot of birthdays, and each year I'm amazed at everything she has accomplished. This is a very special year: we're celebrating Hillary's 60th, and I hope you'll join me in sending her a birthday message, sharing your wishes for her and your hopes for the coming year.
I'll make sure to share your message with Hillary. And please encourage your friends and family to send their messages as well.
You can see my birthday message to Hillary and add your own here:
Click here to sign the card
I know how happy Hillary will be to hear from you on her birthday. Thank you for helping me to make her day special.
The DCCC has put together a compilation of Jeb's greatest re-runs. Definitely worth a look.
So, what's your least favorite memory of Bradley or his votes? It's clear that Nanny Cullen has made putting the rubber stamp back in charge a top priority, so we should perhaps start documenting the atrocities.
Even though she was among the biggest upsets in 2006 and is considered among the biggest targets in 2008, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has apparently decided not to take an extra bundle of Dem Ducats from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The Beltway Bucks always comes with strings attached, and Shea-Porter believes that because did it last year without DCCC money or strings she can do it again.
"I wanted to stay with the kind of campaign I ran before," Shea-Porter told CQPolitics.com on Friday. The freshman explained her desire to continue her state's tradition of "retail politics," which favors local, door-to-door efforts. "It's really about building trust and relationships."
But don't think the good Congresswoman is totally blowing off the Capital Cabbage. She just wants to be a Congresswoman for a while before running another campaign.
These factors helped Shea-Porter overcome a gaping financial disadvantage: The $360,000 in total receipts reported by the Democratic winner at end of 2006 was less than a third of the $1.1 million raised by Bradley.
Given that disparity, Shea-Porter said her decision to take a pass on the Frontline program at this very early stage of the 2008 election cycle does not close the door on her accepting DCCC assistance later on. But for now, she said, she wishes to focus on her message "instead of the money."
This is what really makes Shea-Porter special. She understands the realities of politics and the need for Party Pesos, but she also wants to demonstrate that it can be done another way without compromising principles.
Fortunately for us, she's done it once. And this Flatlander is pretty sure she can do it again.
But, just to be safe, as long as she is blowing off the DCCC money we should have her back. You can still contribute to Carol Shea-Porter on Act Blue!
Update: Shea-Porter says she was invited to the program but declined to be in it:
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter has turned down an invitation to participate in a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraising program, saying she wants to run another grassroots, low-budget campaign.
"They did invite me, and I really appreciated that," Shea-Porter said Friday. "But I wanted to do what I thought was best for New Hampshire politics."
The DCCC's blog The Stakeholder announced its Frontline list today (h/t James L. at Swing State Project):
The Frontline Program is a partnership between the DCCC and Members which lays the ground work for the 2008 cycle by supporting and expanding their fundraising and outreach operations. This competitive program requires members to meet aggressive fundraising goals, accelerate volunteer and recruitment efforts, and increase on-line networking.
This program is particularly targeted towards frosh Dems, who, while enjoying the advantages of incumbency, are still typically more vulnerable than more seasoned incumbents. I also note happily that one of my favorite pols, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schulz, who helped out Hodes last fall, is chairing the program.
NH-02's Paul Hodes made the list, and NH-01's Carol Shea-Porter did not. It's a striking omission, and the DCCC had this to say to the many who asked:
Specifically, I've heard a number of people wonder why Nancy Boyda (KS-02) and Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) aren't on the list. We're certainly not "writing anyone off." In 2006, Representatives Boyda and Shea-Porter ran strong, independent grassroots campaigns. Should the Republicans target them with misleading or baseless attacks we stand ready to help.
I take this to mean that Shea-Porter chose to run her campaign differently than is customary within the party, so the DCCC is happy to let that grassroots style continue, but will be quick to respond when Bradley comes a-knockin' with a well-funded negative ad campaign. In any event, the Frontline list does give you a sense of the different nature of the two campaigns the first time around, both of which were successful.
This might be a good enough time as any to hash out in the comments the pros and cons of a traditional campaign vs. a grassroots one.
So how to say this? I think Dean's 50 State Strategy is right on. Build up permanent party infrastructure top to bottom, go for every position from President to dogcatcher, etc, etc.
But shortly after the election, on another site, I watched a lot of people from out-of-state attribute the NH tsunami to the 50 State Strategy.
The problem with this, at least in Cheshire County, is I just didn't see much DNC in evidence, in money, personnel, organization, etc. The campaigns seemed to be doing 100% of the work, and if we did well in making sure seats were contested, that was more a function of individual and local party efforts.
Now admittedly, that's a pretty narrow view. And I don't know how the payroll worked in all instances. A NHDP worker filmed a Bass event, which resulted in the YouTube video -- was that DNC financed? No idea. Many of the letters in the Keene Sentinel came from people that had attended a seminar on writing LTEs. Was that DNC run? No idea.
So, two questions...
1) For those in the know, let us know the ways in which the 50 State Strategy manifested itself in NH. Paid positions, educational initiatives, organizing, etc.
2) For people like me, not involved with the DNC or NHDP, let me know your opinion -- regardless of your thoughts on the long term benefits of the 50 State Strategy, what was the effect this election?
I'm really currently agnostic on this issue. Sell me on something.
Get some Raisinets and a bigass soda. There's going to be a hell of a show. Democratic attorney Paul Twomey, already at work on the GOP phone-jamming, has begun working on the robocall suit.
From Fahey's column in the UL:
While [the phonejamming suit] continues, the Republicans gave him another target -- automated calls for U.S. Rep. Charles Bass made to homes on the federal do-not-call list. That may be against state law.
Asked Friday, during a break from House recounts, what will happen on the so-called "robo-calls," Twomey said there will be court action. "Absolutely. Those were crimes," he said.
