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The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) will hold a fundraiser on July 16 at the Capitol Hill Club for the latest additions to the Regain Our Majority Program (ROMP).
House candidates Ohio state Sen. Steve Stivers, former Senate aide Pete Olson (Texas) and Pennsylvania businessman Chris Hackett join incumbents Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Phil English (Pa.) and Floridians Tom Feeney, Mario Diaz-Balart and Lincoln Diaz-Balart on the list.
The addition of Feeney and the Diaz-Balarts, who are facing their first significant Democratic challengers this fall, reflects an acknowledgment of the difficult environment House Republicans face in Florida this election cycle. Republicans lost two seats in 2006 and Rep. Ric Keller (R) — a member of the first wave of the ROMP program — also faces a serious challenger this cycle.
House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who as the event’s host chose the members, did not focus specifically on Florida when he made his selections, according to a spokeswoman from his leadership committee.
“There’s no specific focus on Florida, but Mr. Blunt understands that Florida will be a major battleground this year and wants to make sure these Florida members have the support they need from their colleagues,” Burson Snyder, a spokeswoman for Blunt’s leadership committee, the Rely On Your Beliefs Fund, said.
Stivers is running for the seat being vacated by Ohio Rep. Deborah Pryce (R), who is retiring, while Olson and Hackett are challenging Democratic Reps. Nick Lampson and Chris Carney.
A total of 38 members have been named to ROMP, but six of those members have chosen not to seek re-election since their selection.
ROMP — originally the Retain Our Majority Program — was created by former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) to raise money to retain incumbents and assist challengers who sit in targeted districts. The July 16 event will be co-chaired by Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.).
“We are appreciative of all efforts to help our Republican candidates,” said Julie Shutley, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC). “These resources will be vital to these campaigns as they head into a very competitive election cycle.”
This is the second ROMP event in 2008. The first, held in April, benefited Reps. Keller, Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Sam Graves (Mo.), Jean Schmidt (Ohio), Bill Sali (Idaho), Tim Walberg (Mich.) and ex-Rep. Anne Northup (Ky.), who is bidding to retake her old seat. It also benefited Minnesota state Rep. Erik Paulson, who is running for retiring GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad’s seat, and Sheriff Darren White.
Stivers and White replaced Pryce and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.), who were both named to the program in April 2007.
Pryce announced last year she would retire at the end of her term, while Wilson ran for the Senate and lost to fellow Rep. Steve Pearce (N.M.) in a GOP primary last month. Former ROMP members Reps. James Walsh (N.Y.) and Mike Ferguson (N.J.) are retiring at the end of the 110th Congress.
Another member included on the April 2008 list, Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.), announced in May that he would retire. That followed his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol and his subsequent admission to having an affair and fathering a child out of wedlock.
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) announced his retirement following an FBI raid on his wife’s business and an investigation into a land swap that benefited his former business partner.
Four ROMP events usually occur each cycle. The first two raise funds for the most endangered incumbents, while the third is meant to allow members and fundraisers to go on the offensive. The fourth tends to be a final push to raise money for members in desperate need of campaign cash. |
