RNC Facing reality abandons 12 Congressional District races

[grantcart]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/10/house_republicans_bowing_to_po.html



With only 13 days left before the November election, the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee is coming to grips with its dire circumstances -- making a series of advertising decisions in the last 48 hours to cut off incumbents who they believe can't win.

Since Monday, the NRCC has dropped advertising all together in Florida's 24th district, Minnesota's 6th district and Colorado's 4th district. All three seats are held by Republican incumbents who have badly damaged their own political prospects.

Faced with an unbelievably bad political environment and a HUGE fundraising disparity, House Republicans appear to have cut their ties with these three -- the leading edge of what could be a series of de-funding decisions of incumbents by House and Senate strategists.

(It's worth noting that a national party committee pulling advertising out of a state isn't always a bad sign. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has pulled its advertising in the Colorado Senate race, but that is a sign of their confidence of winning, not their acceptance of defeat.)

Even as the NRCC cuts loose incumbents, it is launching new ads in 12 districts -- all but two of which are currently held by Republican members.

Here's a look at the 12 districts, along with the percentage of the vote President Bush received in them in 2004 (* denotes a Democratic-held seat):

Indiana's 3rd (68 percent)
Kentucky's 2nd (65 percent)
Louisiana's 6th (59 percent)*
Minnesota's 3rd (51 percent)
Nebraska's 2nd (60 percent)
Nevada's 3rd (50 percent)
New Jersey's 3rd (51 percent)
New York's 26th (55 percent)
New York's 29th (56 percent)
Ohio's 2nd (64 percent)
Pennsylvania's 11th (47 percent)*
Washington's 8th (48 percent)

Those numbers paint a clear picture. The NRCC is playing defense nearly everywhere --often in seats that, by rights, they should not have to spend a dime in. It's a testament to the difficulties facing the party in the final two weeks of the campaign. And, it's going to get worse before it gets bett

[Awsi Dooger]

1. Actually, that's not what it says; only 3 are abandoned; 12 are being emphasized

I briefly got excited because my district, NV-3 and sumbag Jon Porter, is on that list.

But the article does not indicate 12 districts were abandoned. It says 3 were abandoned including Michelle Bauchmann in MN-6. But regarding the other 12 districts: "Even as the NRCC cuts loose incumbents, it is launching new ads in 12 districts..."

[LiberalFighter]

2. Damn I wish they had not gone into IN-3

[Chichiri]

3. Aw dammit. I live in MN-3.