DCCC

U.S. Rep. John ShadeggWASHINGTON - House and Senate Republicans are rushing to the aid of U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix), the seven-term congressman who finds himself in a surprisingly difficult fight for re-election.

U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, has asked members of the committee to open their wallets for Shadegg, a former chair and sitting member of the committee, according to a Capitol Hill aide familiar with the fundraising effort. With members out of town, Hensarling's member-to-member appeals have taken place over the phone.

Shadegg is competing against Democratic attorney Bob Lord in a race that was widely seen as Shadegg's to lose. But with the political atmosphere toxic for Republicans, Democrats have grown increasingly optimistic of their prospects of winning the Phoenix-area seat. As of Tuesday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had spent more than $1 million on television advertisements and mailers hammering Shadegg.

Earlier this week I wrote in the Inside Edge column about how the DCCC has been investing heavily in television ads for congressional candidates in Arizona, but missing was any support for Bob Lord. Lord was hyped early by Democrats for his fundraising success which made the absence of paid media a little surprising. The DCCC is not leaving Lord completely on his own though as it looks like they will be dropping some mail for his campaign.

From FEC website:

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE - C00000935
View    Download   FEC-364224 Form F24 - filed 09/25/2008 - 24 HOUR NOTICE

1. Supports Candidate: Robert James Lord (H8AZ03092)
      Office Sought: House of Representatives, Arizona District 03
      Payee: Mack Crounse Group, LLC
      Date Expended = 09/25/2008      Amount Expended = $11667.00
      Purpose: Mail Services

2. Opposes Candidate: John Shadeggs (H4AZ04016)
      Office Sought: House of Representatives, Arizona District 03
      Payee: Mack Crounse Group, LLC
      Date Expended = 09/25/2008      Amount Expended = $11667.00
      Purpose: Mail Services

Both sides do it, but it’s always amusing.

WASHINGTON -- Two high-profile Arizona congressmen are amongst those Republican Conference members who have yet to pay dues to the cash-strapped National Republican Congressional Committee’s fall “Battleground” fundraising program, which is aiming to raise $12 million from Republicans in the House.

U.S. Reps. Jeff Flake (R-Mesa) and John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) can’t lay claim to helping out in the effort. With seven weeks until voters head to the polls, Flake and Shadegg have yet to open their checkbooks, according to a Republican aide familiar with the fundraising efforts who asked not to be identified.

Like all GOP members, each cycle Flake and Shadegg are expected to meet “assessments,” a contribution to the program based on one’s seniority status and membership in a committee or subcommittee. Flake, who serves on the Foreign Affairs and Resources committees, has a $70,000 assessment. Shadegg, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, owes $150,000.

As of August, Flake had $1 million in his campaign bank account while Shadegg had $1.3 million. Shadegg is facing a competitive re-election this fall. Flake is not.

WASHINGTON – Voters in Tempe and Scottsdale glued to their television sets this weekend got a good sense of how national Democrats plan to target David Schweikert, the newly-minted Republican nominee in the 5th Congressional District.

“It’s the mismanagement pageant. And the winner is…David Schweikert!” an announcer blares in the new 30-second television advertisement aired by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee over the weekend.

The spot, hitting the airwaves just days after Schweikert’s primary victory, takes direct aim at the Republican’s management capabilities with a focus on his tenure as Maricopa County treasurer. It accuses Schweikert of being audited for record-keeping failures, of overlooking monitoring a taxpayer-paid line of credit, and for having a campaign account that was shut down by the Federal Elections Commission.

“David Schweikert. A record of mismanagement we can’t count on in Congress,” the announcer concludes.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Flagstaff) and Bob Lord (D-Phoenix) to its Red to Blue program.

Kirkpatrick is running against Sydney Hay (R-Munds Park) in the 1st Congressional District for the seat being vacated by Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Flagstaff).

Lord is competing against current congressman John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) in the 3rd Congressional District.

1st Congressional District democratic candidate Ann Kirkpatrick is in a primary for the right to succeed Rick Renzi in CD1, but don’t tell that to the DCCC.  The DCCC has added Kirkpatrick to their Red-to-Blue program which will help Kirkpatrick with fundraising. 

Kirkpatrick was also endorsed last week by Governor Janet Napolitano.

U.S. Rep. John ShadeggWASHINGTON -- Tied to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching radio advertisements against U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix), taking aim at the Congressman for his “present” vote on an Iraq War funding bill last week.

“Republicans in Congress have always promised to fund our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, when it came time to cast a vote to do so, Congressman John Shadegg did not,” an announcer in the ad says. “Our troops can’t choose whether or not to do their jobs. John Shadegg can. Yet, when he was supposed to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, Shadegg chose not to stand up for our troops and instead, did nothing. Our troops stand up for us. They need Congressman Shadegg to stand up for them.”

“Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said one thing and done another,” U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the chair of the DCCC, said on a conference call with reporters today. “We are going to be making sure their constituents know how they voted on this very important piece of legislation.”

According to a report on Politico, the DCCC will be launching a new radio, web ad and robo-call campaign against some Republicans who voted “present” on an Iraq War funding bill last week.  The ads beginning this week will run for one week.  The Democrats are targeting eight Republicans they consider vulnerable in November.  CD3 Republican John Shadegg is on the list of targets.

Almost a month after State Representative Bill Konopnicki announced he would not seek the open CD1 seat, rumors continue to swirl that the NRCC is continuing to look for Konopnicki to enter.   read more »