With two of their colleagues falling in primary battles in recent weeks, a number of incumbent members of Congress facing their own primaries have received little support from leadership and colleagues when they might be more vulnerable than ever.

Reps. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), Don Young (R-Alaska), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and Chris Cannon (R-Utah) have all received $5,000 or less from their leadership and negligible support from fellow members.

An expanded playing field that could include 80 seats in 2008 makes it harder for parties to spend resources on these primaries, and both campaign committees have policies of focusing on the general election and letting primaries play out.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) said early in the cycle that the committee was more likely to support incumbents than other candidates facing primaries, whereas the National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) rule is more hard and fast.

Republicans, in particular, face more primaries and have less money, while Democrats have generally been more generous to their members engaged in primary battles.

But with influential outside groups willing to go after incumbents in primaries and an anti-incumbent sentiment marked by record low congressional approval ratings, this has left some members largely to their own devices with their careers on the line.

Kucinich and two other members, Reps. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) and Ralph Hall (R-Texas), are both facing contested primaries next week.

Kucinich, who appears especially vulnerable in a race against Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman, has received no party help to this point — be it financial or through appearances — and campaign spokesman Andy Juniewicz said there is nothing planned for the week before the Tuesday primary.

Some of those with the least help, like Cannon, Jones and Kucinich, have had strained relations with their leadership and colleagues over the years. Cannon’s position on immigration reform has attracted criticism from conservatives, and Jones has bucked his party on several major issues including the Iraq war, while Kucinich has repeatedly criticized Democratic leaders in Congress.

Others are newer members or won’t face primaries for several months. One, Young, is the subject of a federal investigation into his ties to the Veco Corporation and is a risky person with whom to appear. Young is also known as the author of the widely criticized “Bridge to Nowhere” earmark.

These lawmakers will hope to avoid the fate of two congressmen from Maryland who lost reelection earlier this month.

Rep. Albert Wynn (D), who was upended by activist Donna Edwards, wasn’t blaming the party for his loss.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) gave Wynn $12,000 from his campaign committee and political action committee (PAC), hosted several events and was with him on Election Day.

“I am very pleased and appreciative of the strong support I received from the Democratic leadership during my primary election this year,” Wynn said Friday.

Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.), who also lost his primary, received less than $10,000 from his party’s leadership, had a fundraiser with Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and was endorsed by President Bush. But while Hoyer and other members contributed more than $30,000 to Wynn’s campaign in the last couple weeks, Gilchrest got little assistance.