House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) appears to have no hard feelings toward Rep. Dan Lungren despite the California Republican's 2008 bid to usurp his job.
Boehner will be in Sacramento on Friday night to headline a fundraiser for the eight-term congressman.
"Lungren's targeted, so we appreciate the leader taking the time to come through and help with the fundraising," Rob Stutzman, a Lungren spokesman, toldThe Sacramento Bee. "Obviously, we're getting outraised."
Lungren had $800,000 in cash on hand at the end of June, compared to $1.14 million for Ami Bera, his Democratic challenger. The congressman spent more than $1.3 million on his reelection in 2008.
Bera, as a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red to Blue program, is one of his party's top prospects this cycle. He's also received financial support from the Democratic leadership, with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.) headlining an event for him last week.
The DCCC has also reserved air time in the Sacramento media market, which could be used to support Bera.
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) told a local TV station Thursday that he came close to death this past spring and underwent life-saving brain surgery at a Washington, D.C., hospital.
In late March, Reichert's office released a statement that said the congressman was treated for a "head injury" sustained after he was hit by a tree branch while doing yard work. Reichert's office said he was treated for a "subdural hematoma" but gave no further details at the time.
In an interview Thursday, Reichert suggested the injury was much more serious than originally thought. He described two months of headaches that eventually led to numbness on the right side of his body. After being rushed to George Washington University Hospital, Reichert said he underwent emergency brain surgery.
Reichert is a Democratic target this year facing a challenge from Suzan DelBene (D).
Here's the report from Washington state's KING 5 news featuring Reichert's interview.
Democrat Colleen Hanabusa is trailing Rep. Charles Djou (R-Hawaii) in money raised and recent polls, but her latest ad plays like she's ahead.
In the 30-second spot, released on Thursday in Hawaii, Hanabusa speaks directly to the camera and doesn't mention Djou, who defeated her in the May special election for the seat. "I've never been known as a flashy politician; pretty much what you see is what you get," Hanabusa says in the ad.
The take-it-or-leave-it approach may not be the best one for Hanabusa as even the Democratic leadership wasn't satisfied with what it saw with her performance during the special election and chose to back former Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii).
Republicans had some fun with Hanabusa's new ad.
"If Hawaii families get what they see from Hanabusa, they'll see more of their hard-earned money leaving their own pocket to be spent recklessly by the federal government," Joanna Burgos, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement.
Hanabusa recently closed the fundraising deficit she had with Djou. The Democrat raised $330,000 in the last reporting period, according to her pre-primary filing. Djou raised $205,000 during the same time. Hanabusa now trails Djou by less than $25,000 cash on hand, having $403,000 banked for the general compared to $427,000 for Djou.
A pollconducted by the Tarrance Group for Djou's camp in July had the Republican leading Hanabusa 50 percent to 42.
The first poll out on the Chicago mayor's race shows there's no early favorite for what will be the first open-seat contest in the city in decades.
Leading the way were the 35 percent of voters who didn't have a candidate preference in the Democratic primary. And no one among the nine potential candidates included in the poll registered a statistically significant advantage.
Longtime mayor Richard Daley (D) announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection next year.
For what it's worth, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart led the way with 12 percent support. He was followed by state Sen. James Meeks with 10 percent and Rep. Luis Gutierrez with 9 percent.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. garnered 8 percent in the poll and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel received 7 percent.
The poll, commissioned by the Chicago Sun-Times, was conducted by the firm McKeon and Associates. It surveyed 600 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
The primary isn't until February of next year, but the race is already heating up and Emanuel is expected to make a decision soon on whether to leave the White House for a run at city hall.
On CNN Thursday, Jackson took an early shot at Emanuel, warning that if President Obama's chief of staff did decide to get in the race, "it will become a national campaign."
"The president's record will probably be brought into that campaign," said Jackson, who noted "Rahm Emanuel will have to answer the questions about those communities that have been left behind."
Like Emanuel, Jackson has not yet made a decision on a mayoral run.
Earlier this week, President Obama said Emanuel would be "an excellent mayor," but said he didn't expect his chief of staff to make any decision before the November midterm elections.
Republicans are pressuring local TV stations not to air campaign ads for Democratic candidates or their allies.
There's been a "pattern of lies, distortions, and falsehoods being pushed by Democratic organizations, candidates, and allies," according to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which asked station managers to "exercise due diligence" when deciding to air campaign commercials this fall.
"As station manager, you are certainly in no way obligated to air these ads and we would encourage you to exercise due diligence in investigating claims and accusations made before airing any ads created by Democrat organizations, candidates, or allies," Jessica Furst, general counsel for the NRCC, wrote in a letter sent Thursday to station managers in media markets where Democrats have reserved air time.
Furst cites a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad aired against GOP Rep. Charles Djou before the May special-election vote in Hawaii. She also cites ads by Reps. Zack Space (D-Ohio) and Ben Chandler (D-Ky.) , the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and other liberal groups.
"We request that you exercise your right, consistent with FCC regulations, to reject any attempt by a candidate, political party, or third-party group to purchase time for an advertisement that communicates misleading and blatantly false messages such as those discussed above," Furst wrote.
"In most cases, you can insist that false statements be corrected before your station runs the ad. We trust that you agree that advertisements containing material misstatements of fact intended to deceive voters have no place on your station's airwaves."
Tea Party-backed Christine O'Donnell said Thursday a late endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) proves that her campaign has the momentum it needs to upset Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) in the state's GOP Senate primary Tuesday.
"Something really special is going on here in Delaware," O'Donnell told The Hill late Thursday. "This just increases the excitement around our campaign right now and that momentum will carry us through."
O'Donnell said she was at a local restaurant talking to voters when she received a text message alerting her of Palin's endorsement. The former Alaska governor announced her backing of O'Donnell on conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity's radio show Thursday.
"She stood up against the establishment just like I have in Delaware and she blazed a trail for insurgent candidates," O'Donnell said.
Palin later posted the endorsement of O'Donnell on her Facebook page. "Please support Christine O’Donnell in Delaware," Palin wrote. "She will support efforts for America’s energy security, patient-centered health care reform, cutting government waste, and letting the private sector thrive and prosper!"
The O'Donnell campaign did not know the endorsement was coming.
The candidate said Palin's backing comes amid "growing frustration with the tactics" of the Castle campaign and the Delaware Republican Party.
The state GOP filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission Thursday alleging illegal coordination between the Tea Party Express and the O'Donnell campaign. O'Donnell declined to comment on the complaint.
Castle's campaign dismissed Palin's backing and touted his own endorsements Thursday.
"Tuesday's primary will be decided by grassroots Republican voters here in Delaware, not out-of-state interest groups who are working to control the outcome," Castle spokeswoman Kate Dickens said in a statement. "Mike Castle has overwhelming support from respected conservative Delawareans, including former Gov. Pete duPont and Judge Bill Lee, who know that Castle is the true fiscal conservative and the only candidate who can win this seat for Republicans in November."
The Republican Party of Delaware filed a complaint Thursday with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging illegal coordination between the Tea Party Express and the Senate campaign of Christine O'Donnell.
O'Donnell is challenging Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) in the state's Republican Senate primary, set for next Tuesday.
The Tea Party Express has been running radio and TV ads supporting O'Donnell, and the complaint alleges the group has coordinated with the O'Donnell campaign on its paid communications in violation of federal election law.
The complaint cites an appearance by O'Donnell at a Tea Party Express rally and a radiothon that the group is planning for the candidate. O'Donnell is expected to speak during that event as well.
The complaint also accuses the O'Donnell campaign of accepting contributions from the Tea Party Express is excess of legal limits.
"Christine O'Donnell needs to immediately call upon her third party supporters to cease and desist this illegal behavior," Delaware GOP Chairman Tom Ross said in a statement. "This type of behavior has no place in our political process, and O'Donnell should denounce these illegal ads."
The state Republican Party has asked the FEC to expedite the case. An FEC spokesperson wouldn't comment directly on the complaint but suggested action on the matter before Tuesday's primary "would be a very quick turnaround."
No official response yet from the Tea Party Express or the O'Donnell campaign.
Former Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) will publicly endorse Republican Michael Allegretti at a press conference on Staten Island Friday morning, a source close to the Allegretti campaign told The Ballot Box.
Allegretti is competing against former FBI agent Michael Grimm for the GOP nomination to face freshman Rep. Mike McMahon (D-N.Y.) in November. The rhetoric between the two Republicans has grown increasingly heated as the Sept. 14 primary approaches.
Fossella had been supportive of Allegretti since retreating from public life, but in the last few days decided to go public with an endorsement, the source said.
The backing could help Allegretti claim the nod. Fossella still holds considerable sway among Staten Island Republicans despite being forced into retirement last cycle after a 2008 drunken-driving arrest revealed he had a second family in the Washington suburbs.
There was speculation he was planning a comeback in 2010 — he was even endorsed to run again in May by the Staten Island Republican Party executive committee. But Fossella declined, telling reporters, "I am frankly at a very good place in my life."
There were signs recently that he wasn't content with sitting on the sidelines. The six-term congressman announced earlier this month he would make a rare public appearance at a rally on Sunday protesting the mosque planned to be built near Ground Zero in New York City.
Fossella will announce his support for Allegretti Friday at the Great Kills Friendship Club on Staten Island.
Two states could have Tea Party upsets on Tuesday, and observers are torn as to which is the more likely scenario.
In New Hampshire, Republican Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne is trying to ride the wave of Tea Party upsets by casting his campaign in the mold of come-from-behind winners Joe Miller in Alaska and Sharron Angle in Nevada.
In Delaware, Tea Party-backed Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell got a boost Thursday when former Gov. Sarah Palin (R) endorsed her.
O’Donnell is challenging party-backed Rep. Mike Castle in the Republican primary, and Palin’s blessing could give her the jolt she needs.
Palin also has something at stake in New Hampshire, where she's backing Kelly Ayotte in the Senate primary.
Most of the attention has been focused on Delaware, but some observers say New Hampshire may have the race to watch Tuesday.
Lamontagne faces two better-known and better-funded Republicans in the Senate primary in the form of Ayotte and self-funded Bill Binnie. But Ayotte and Binnie have been spending their cash ripping each other to shreds on the airwaves, and observers say Lamontagne has been the short-term beneficiary.
"I think people understand that these races are national in scope and we need to elect true conservatives," Lamontagne told The Hill. "That's why you've seen the enthusiasm building."
Businessman Jim Bender is also self-funding his campaign, and while most don't believe he has a real shot of winning, he could factor into the eventual outcome, depending on the share of the vote he ends up with.
Lamontagne is talking up his support from conservative talk-radio host Laura Ingraham, whom he called "a strong supporter of our campaign who laid out the case on her show as to why Sarah Palin made the wrong choice in this primary."
The candidate also highlighted support from RedState's Erick Erickson, who questioned on his blog Wednesday why money and energy was focused on O'Donnell in Delaware and not Lamontagne in New Hampshire.
Ayotte certainly has some conservative backing. Aside from Palin, she was endorsed by the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List and has the support of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.).
Still, University of New Hampshire pollster Andy Smith said a Lamontagne upset is well within the realm of possibility. During Lamontagne's 1996 run for governor he surged from more than 20 points back before the primary to capture the nomination.
A Lamontagne adviser says the campaign has no plans to go negative ahead of Tuesday —apparently seeing the negative between Ayotte and Binnie as the candidate's best shot.
As for support from the Tea Party Express, which has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into GOP primaries in Nevada, Colorado and Alaska this cycle, it won't be forthcoming.
Spokesman Levi Russell told The Hill that his group is focused squarely on Delaware ahead of Sept. 14 and won't spend any resources in New Hampshire.
"It's definitely on our radar," Russell said of New Hampshire's Senate primary. "But we are still focused on Delaware."
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