State Sen. Tim Huelskamp has launched the first TV ad in the Republican primary for Rep. Jerry Moran's (R-Kan.) first district seat.
The ad will be playing district-wide on broadcast and cable starting Tuesday morning, according to the Huelskamp camp. The 30-second spot was produced by The Strategy Group for Media.
Announcer: "Every year they say they won’t raise taxes but taxes keep going up. Tim Huelskamp's different. When he says 'no' to new taxes, he means it. That's why they call him 'Hero of the Taxpayer,' 'Top Friend of Kansas Taxpayers' and 'Taxpayer Champion.' We can count on Tim Huelskmap to fight Pelsosi and Obama in Washington. Huelskamp, Republican for Congress. No new taxes."
National Democrats are attacking Republican House candidate Tim Burns because he was an executive for a healthcare company that deferred taxes on income earned overseas.
The Obama administration wants to repeal deferral, which has long been criticized by some Democrats as a tax loophole that allows companies to shelter income abroad. Critics believe it leads to the out-sourcing of U.S. jobs. Research has shown the practice costs the federal government from $12 billion to $28 billion annually in lost tax revenue because the money is often reinvested abroad and never repatriated.
Burns is running against Democrat Mark Critz in the special election for the late Rep. John Murtha's (D-Pa.) seat. The Republicans consider the race a pick-up opportunity, and the fight over taxes and jobs could be a key issue given the economy.
Another Democrat is entering the race to replace Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.).
According to the Ogemaw County Herald, state Rep. Joel Sheltrown is trading in his state Senate campaign for a congressional bid:
Following the announcement last Friday that Rep. Bart Stupak would be
retiring after 18 years in Congress, State Representative Joel
Sheltrown (D-West Branch) announced Monday that he will be seeking
election to the 1st Congressional District seat.
Sheltrown told
the Herald Monday that when Stupak announced his retirement, he gave a
couple of names of people who he felt would be qualified to run for the
seat. Sheltrown’s name was on that list.
“Immediately after, I
received a call asking me to run,” Sheltrown said.
Sheltrown,
who was already involved in a state Senate campaign, said he had to talk
to his wife and his strategists before he could make a decision.
“It’s an absolutely huge commitment,” Sheltrown said, adding that he
understands that this is the largest district east of the Mississippi.
“Once I put all the pieces together and it appeared that the door was
open — if a door is open, I’ve never been one to walk up to it and close
it.”
Sheltrown joins former Charlevoix County Commissioner Connie Saltonstall in the primary. Saltonstall was endorsed by Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America and the National Organization for Women before Stupak retired, but Democratic leaders may look for a more well-known candidate.
State Rep. Michael Lahti is reportedly also considering a run for the Democratic nod, and state Rep. Gary McDowell has also been mentioned.
On the GOP side, physician Dan Benishek is raising good money, and state House Minority Leader Kevin Elsenheimer is also considering the race.
Freshman Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) hasn't gotten an earful from his constituents since the healthcare reform bill passed.
"Most of the comments that have been made to me have been favorable to my health care vote,” Owens told the Albany Times-Union. "I have not had much push back from people on that issue. If I have had … I f you want to describe it as negative, it's more been people saying, 'I don't understand the legislation, how is it going to affect me?' Normally I will give them a run-down of a few things that I think may impact them directly, and then ask them if they can to describe their circumstances to me, so I can talk to them specifically."
Owens said he wasn't sure if the healthcare bill would remain an issue in the campaign until November.
"There's a lot of time between now and November," Owens said. "I think from my experience and the information that we've culled … the primary issue for people is jobs -- that was 44 percent -- and 25 percent were concerned with health care as their number one issue."
If healthcare does linger as an issue, it could benefit Democrats, he added.
"I think that what I believe will happen over time relative to the health care bill, is that as people find out that many of the statements that were made on the internet and newspapers are in fact either false or half truths, and as people learn how the bill is going to affect them and the bill is not going to affect them and the fact that the world has not come to an end after the passage of health care, as was threatened," Owens said.
This cycle Owens faces a rematch with 2009 Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman.
A perennial candidate will compete against the Democratic and Republican nominees in the special election for the late Rep. John Murtha's (D-Pa.) seat.
Libertarian Demo Agoris's message of "less government, more freedom and less taxes" may siphon some votes away from Republican Tim Burns.
Agoris told the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat he is concerned about federal spending and would push for a balanced-budget amendment. "That's the reason I'm running," he said.
Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier's (R) congressional campaign upped its fundraising slightly in the first quarter, pulling in $230,000 for his challenge to Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.).
Frazier narrowly outraised Perlmutter $219,000 to $215,000 in the fourth quarter of 2009 -- his first after switching from the state's Senate race to the congressional race. But this quarter, the incumbent got the better of Frazier, outraising him $330,000 to $230,000.
Perlmutter has $1.25 million in the bank. A cash on hand figure wasn't immediately available from Frazier.
House Democrats have landed a big recruiting coup in Florida, with the repeat candidacy of former Miami-Dade County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Garcia.
A Democratic source confirmed to The Hill that Garcia will run again. He fell to Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) by just six points in 2008, and now that Diaz-Balart is running in the neighboring district being vacated by his brother, Garcia will be a top Democratic hope in a competitive district.
State Rep. David Rivera is off to a fast start on the GOP side, having raised $725,000 in the first quarter, but Garcia has shown himself to be a capable fundraiser as well. In his loss to Diaz-Balart last cycle, Garcia raised a strong $1.8 million.
It's the first good fundraising news in a while for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) which has lost top candidates in a series of races in recent months. In addition to those losses, Democrats haven't been able to add many targets to their list for 2010. The DCCC has assured that it will play offense this year, despite the many seats it will have to defend in a tough environment.
Some House Democrats from Iowa are getting reelection help from Washington.
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) is getting some indirect assistance from the Obama administration. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will be at the University of Iowa in Iowa City Friday to discuss the ongoing flood recovery effort. He'll subsequently tour some government-backed recovery projects with Loebsack and likely generate some positive local press coverage.
In 2009, the administration dispatched several cabinet members to New Jersey to help indirectly with Gov. Jon Corzine's (D) reelection effort.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) was in Des Moines to support Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa).
Van Hollen hinted independent voters were key to the veteran Democrat's reelection.
"He has been successful in winning the support of independent voters in the past, and I'm confident his record will allow him to maintain that support," Van Hollen told the Des Moines Register. "Without getting into the gubernatorial politics there, there are a lot of people there who split their vote, and vote for one candidate for governor and one candidate for Congress."
Boswell has seven Republicans vying to face him but only one has released his fundraising numbers.
Former ISU wrestling coach Jim Gibbons (R) raised $161,500 in the first quarter, his campaign said. He now has some $265,000 cash on hand.
Republicans are confident of picking up Rep. Bart Stupak's (D) Michigan House seat.
"This retirement presents Republicans with a very promising opportunity heading into the November elections," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Tom Erickson said in a statement.
Michigan's first district leans Republican -- President Obama won it narrowly in 2008 but in 2004 it went solidly for President George W. Bush.
"With the highest unemployment rate in the country, Michigan families know all too well that it's time to change the direction of this country, and that begins by electing new leaders who will put an end to the Democrats' reckless, job-killing agenda," Erickson added.
The NRCC is waiting to see how the primary field shapes up before picking a favorite.
Michigan state House GOP Leader Kevin Elsenheimer (R), whose district overlaps with Stupak’s, released a statement Friday saying he will "take a serious look" at running for the seat.
"I am taking a serious look at this opportunity to serve my fellow residents of Michigan's first congressional district and the people of Michigan, and I expect to announce my decision in the coming days after discussing it with my family," Elsenheimer said.
Doctor Dan Benishek (R) joined the race March 15 and has raised close to $200,000 already, a GOP source said. Republicans Linda Goldthorpe, Don Hooper and Tom Stillings are also running for the GOP nod.
Expect healthcare to be a major issue in the campaign.
The Michigan Republican Party said Stupak's vote on the controversial reform bill cost him his job. "Bart Stupak is the first casualty of the Obamacare vote," Chairman Ron Weiser said in a statement.
Democrats said Stupak's legacy will ensure the seat doesn't fall into Republican hands.
"We are confident that a Democrat who shares Congressman Stupak's commitment to advancing the best interests of Northern Michigan's middle class families will succeed him as the next representative of Michigan's first congressional district," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said in a statement.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
