Dem campaign heads defend party's centrists in Congress

The head of Democrats' House and Senate campaign committees made their case for their party's centrists on Friday night.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chairman Robert Menendez (N.J.) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), defended the centrist candidates in their respective chambers, warning that a "purge" of such lawmakers would lead Democrats to resemble the GOP.

"We are a 60-majority party because we are a big-tent party, unlike the Republicans, who say they're a big tent, but actually don't have room for anyone who isn't to the extreme right," Menendez said during an appearance on MSNBC, where he was specifically asked about Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-Conn.) occasional breaks with Democrats on key priorities.

"We wouldn't have gotten a whole host of things done at various times this year without Joe Lieberman's vote. I'm looking to move the country forward, just like you are.

Van Hollen, who also led the DCCC in the last campaign cycle, voiced similar praise for many of the centrist lawmakers he helped recruit and get elected to Congress.

"If we become like the Republicans and become the small-tent party, we're not going to have the majority that we needed to pass that legislation," Van Hollen also said on MSNBC. "Even with the majority we have, it came down to 220 votes. You start purging Democrats like the Republicans have purged their members, as they did in New York 23, in some other races last cycle, that's a very fast trip to becoming the minority party."

Indeed, the centrist candidates Van Hollen had gotten elected in more conservative states and districts have, at times, broken with the party on the healthcare, climate change, and stimulus bills before the House this year.

Still, the DCCC chairman said he is "concerned" about turnout from the Democratic base during 2010's midterm elections, adding that moving quickly on healthcare and other party priorities would help boost enthusiasm for Democratic candidates next fall.