Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.), who lost his Republican primary earlier this year, accused the leaders of his party of politicizing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Inglis called criticism lobbed at President Obama by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) "offensive to me," and encouraged members of his party to "unite" behind the president.
On Tuesday, both McConnell and Boehner criticized the president for not giving more credit to former President George W. Bush and his plan for a troop surge in Iraq.
"What I’d say back to [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell and whoever is this is really not a time to play politics," Inglis told South Carolina's Spartanburg Herald-Journal. "It represents really the worst in politics, to politicize a war. America’s at war. And America’s best are serving right now in some very dangerous places.”
In 2007, Inglis opposed the troop surge in Congress, one of the many issues his GOP opponent used against him in the Republican primary. Inglis was defeated by prosecutor Trey Gowdy in a June runoff.
Inglis recently returned from a two-week overseas trip that included visits to Iraq and Afghanistan.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka took aim at John Boehner ahead of the Ohio Republican's visit to Missouri this weekend.
Trumka called the House minority leader "the tan wonder" and ridiculed Boehner's idea of "job creation" during a speech in St. Louis at the AFL-CIO state convention Tuesday.
"His idea of job creation is to hire a second caddy," Trumka said.
Boehner will be in St. Louis on Saturday to raise money for lawyer Ed Martin (R), who is challenging Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.).
Trumka was there to talk up labor’s support for the Democratic ticket in Missouri. Boehner is also going to Jefferson City to raise money for Republican Vicky Hartzler, Rep. Ike Skelton's (D-Mo.) challenger.
North Dakota Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D) won't face a House ethics investigation, which could help his reelection prospects.
The nine-term Democrat was potentially facing an investigation into his fundraising practices, but the Office of Congressional Ethics announced Monday it was dismissing the case.
Pomeroy faces Republican Rick Berg in November. The Ballot Box considers his race a toss-up.
In North Dakota, Pomeroy told reporters he felt vindicated.
"There was nothing here, so it feels like they must have read the materials I sent them," he said. "They've taken action, and the matter is done."
He added, "There was never more here. I voted to represent North Dakota's interests against the big banks on Wall Street."
Pomeroy wouldn't go into details about what information he provided ethics investigators.
"I'm not going to get into what they asked for. We gave them all the information they needed," he told the Bismarck Tribune.
Spending on political and issue ads ahead of the 2010 midterm elections is already approaching $1 billion, and one analyst predicts it's on track to reach $3 billion by November.
Ad Age has an interview with CMAG's Evan Tracey, who tracks political ad spending. Tracey said $864 million has already been spent this cycle, some $50 million more than was spent at this point in the 2008 election cycle.
"Historically, two-thirds of all election spending comes during the final 60 days, so we are on track to approach $3 billion in total spending on political and issue ads," Tracey told Ad Age.
The spending binge is being aided by self-funded candidates like Meg Whitman (R) in California and Linda McMahon (R) in Connecticut, as well as the Supreme Court's recent decision in the Citizens United case, which lifted restrictions on corporate and union spending.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) made a last-minute appeal for House Republicans' campaign committee, hours before a fundraising deadline.
Romney, a 2008 Republican presidential candidate who's seen as a probable candidate in 2012, asked supporters to help raise $50,000 for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
"I can tell you firsthand that Americans cannot afford another 2 years of a Nancy Pelosi-led Congress," Romney wrote. "In the last 20 months, unemployment has skyrocketed, taxes have soared, and the government takeover of healthcare threatens to crush small businesses."
The appeal is ostensibly a move to help build favor with House Republicans as they look to win back the majority in this fall's elections. Polls show the GOP poised to pick up a number of House seats currently held by Democrats, though it's not clear whether Republicans will win the 39 districts necessary to take back the House.
A number of Republicans have helped raise money for the NRCC and the party's other committees, including other potential 2012 candidates. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) sent out a fundraising e-mail similar to Romney's at the end of June on behalf of House Republicans.
"The NRCC is leading THE ONLY national campaign to STOP the Democrats and create a new Republican majority in the House," Romney wrote Tuesday.
Another endangered House Democrat is out with a campaign ad creating some separation from his party's leadership in Washington.
Freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Md.) is expected to face a strong GOP challenge in November. He defeated state Sen. Andy Harris (R) by less than 3,000 votes in 2008 and represents a district that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) won with 59 percent of the vote in the most recent presidential election.
In the 30-second spot, Kratovil says he makes decisions based on "facts not politics," which is why he "voted against the three trillion dollar budget, the big bank bailout and against the healthcare bill."
"You see for me, it's not about Democrats or Republicans," Kratovil continues. "It's about commonsense and doing what's best for our families. Maybe that's why I'm ranked one of the most independent members of Congress."
Kratovil's ad follows a pattern of a number of incumbent Democrats running away from their party's leadership in Washington in their ad campaigns. Reps. Bobby Bright (D-Ala.), Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) have released similar ads highlighting their votes against some Democratic priorities in Washington.
Harris is running again in 2010, but faces a Republican primary challenge Sept. 14. Kratovil is unopposed on the Democratic side. The race is considered a toss-up in November.
In what has been a relatively boring August recess, at least as far as town-hall meetings go, an Iowa Democrat gave the old "ambush your opponent" tactic a try Monday.
The Democrat running against Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) this fall crashed a town-hall meeting held by the congressman Monday in Sioux City and demanded that King debate him.
Matt Campbell (D) walked into the meeting and positioned himself near the podium where King was standing. After proclaiming that there would be no "ambushes or interruptions" at the meeting, King acknowledged his opponent and told him he could ask a question. Campbell then challenged King to a debate.
King responded, "My answer to that is that judging by the way you have conducted yourself you have not earned it."
King represents a Republican heavy district and isn't expected to face a major challenge from Campbell in the fall. The video is courtesy of the Sioux City Journal:
Iowa Republicans will hear from Sarah Palin at the party's annual Ronald Reagan Dinner in September.
"The Iowa GOP is pleased that Gov. Palin is traveling to Iowa to join the battle to return principled, conservative leadership to Iowa," Matt Strawn, the party chairman, said in a statement. "Our economic and personal freedoms are under attack in Washington, DC and Des Moines. I know Iowa Republicans will be energized and motivated by Gov. Palin to stand up and fight for these principles all the way to Election Day and beyond."
There are at least two competitive House races and the gubernatorial contest happening in Iowa this cycle. The dinner, dubbed "A Salute to Freedom," will take place Sept. 17.
Republicans on Tuesday promoted Rep. Alan Grayson's (D-Fla.) challenger to the top level of their candidate assistance program. Florida Republican Daniel Webster is now considered a "Young Gun."
The former state Senate majority leader, who is 61 years old, was one of six candidates to gain promotion this week.
"Fifty-two candidates have earned Young Gun status, which is more than enough seats needed to take back the majority," Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), the National Republican Congressional Committee’s recruitment chairman, said in a statement.
Florida Republican Steve Southerland, who's challenging Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.), was also promoted Tuesday.
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