DCCC

WASHINGTON – Republican U.S. House candidate Tom McClintock said in an interview Tuesday evening that his campaign was prepared for heavy spending on the part of national Democrats in his race.

“We’re ready for them,” said McClintock. “Prudence requires planning. We have, and we’re ready.”

McClintock, a state senator from Southern California, is running against retired Air Force officer Charlie Brown in a conservative Northern California district that has been historically unfriendly to Democrats. But on Tuesday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee waded into similarly Republican trending districts in Kentucky and Maryland. And while the DCCC has yet to air advertisements in the 4th Congressional District, it has reserved time in the local media market.

“We’ve planned all along on the assumption that they would end up being in the district,” he said. “We’ve assumed that $1 million and as much as $2 million of DCCC money will enter this race.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has moved two California congressional races to their "Races to Watch" list, the first tier in the Red to Blue program, which supports competitive Democratic challengers in Republican districts across the nation. The new additions include Julie Bornstein (D-Palm Desert), who is looking to unseat U.S. Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Palm Springs) in the 26th Congressional District, and Russ Warner (D-Rancho Cucamonga), challenger to U.S. Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) in the 26th Congressional District.

DENVER - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) hosted an event at the Grand Hyatt today in support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s top “Red to Blue” recruits.

The event, billed as a “Political Briefing and Campaign Update in Support of Red to Blue Candidates” was co-hosted by a wide array of House leaders including Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), Caucus Vice Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) and DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), according to the invitation.

The DCCC’s Red to Blue fundraising program aims to benefit challengers and open seat candidates in competitive races. 45 candidates have been named to the program.

WASHINGTON - The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is out with its first independent expenditure in the 11th Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) is fighting for a second term.

The committee reported spending about $1,400 on mail services in the district, which encompasses the Central Valley area. McNerney is facing off against Republican businessman Dean Andal in what is widely seen as one of the most competitive House races in the country. The Pindell Report currently ranks the race as the 19th most competitive House contest.

McNerney is coming off a 13,000-vote victory over former U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo. The district has historically trended Republican, with George Bush winning 53 percent and 54 percent of the vote in 2000 and 2004, respectively.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is planning to spend slightly more than $2 million on TV advertising for two House races in California, campaign finance documents obtained by PolitickerCA.com on Monday show.

U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, whose 36th Congressional District seat encompasses the Venice area, is holding a fundraising reception for 15 Democratic House challengers Monday evening.

The event, organized by Harman’s SecureUS PAC, is taking place at the Washington headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.

Attending the event are Sam Bennett (PA-15), Charlie Brown (CA-04), Colleen Callahan (IL-18), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jill Derby (NV-02), Parker Griffith (AL-05), Christine Jennings (FL-13), Daniel Johnson (NC-10), Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24), Bob Lord (AZ-03), Raul Martinez (FL-21), Jill Morgenthaler (IL-06), Glenn Nye (VA-02), Gary Peters (MI-09), and Annette Taddeo (FL-18).

Harman spokesman John Hess did not specify how much money would be raised at the event. Attendees will have the option of donating to the candidates through the PAC, to the candidates directly, or to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Each of the candidates benefitting are members of the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” fundraising program.

Included in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s newest round of radio advertisements targets is Brian Bilbray, a San Diego Republican who is serving his first full term in the House.

The ads, targeting 13 Republican incumbents nationwide and tied to the upcoming July 4 holiday, focus on the issue of gas prices.

“Wanted to thank you for continuing to support the Big Oil Energy Agenda,” a George Bush impersonator says in a mock answering machine message to Bilbray.

“‘Preciate you voting to keep giving billions in tax breaks to the big oil companies. Sure, gasoline is over four bucks a gallon and the oil companies are making record profits, but what’s good for Big Oil is good for America, right? Guess that’s why they call us the Grand OIL Party. Heh, heh, heh. Seriously, Brian, I know I can always count on you.”

With pre-primary fundraising totals released today, Democrats were quick to pounce on Republican U.S. House candidate Dean Andal’s for what is sure to be widely seen as a disappointing haul.

The fundraising reports show Andal taking in just $11,434 between April 1 and May 14 – far short of Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney’s $148,783 during the same period.

"Is Dean Andal too radical, even for Republican donors? Andal's disastrous fundraising makes us even more confident that we will win California's 11th Congressional district in 2008," said Yoni Cohen, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Congressional candidate Dean AndalOn the same day that John McCain is bringing the presidential spotlight to the Central Valley area, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is taking aim at a Stockton U.S. House candidate who is slated to campaign with McCain: Dean Andal. At issue is Andal’s relationship with lobbyists.

“Dean Andal is far more radical than John McCain,” said DCCC spokesman Yoni Cohen. “In the State Assembly, Radical Andal spent 60 percent of his time with lobbyists. On the campaign trail, Radical Andal has failed to denounce negative advertising from shady outside groups. Where does Radical Andal stand? With John McCain or with lobbyists working with special interests to increase the cost of gasoline, education, and health care for California families?”