The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is preparing to target over 50 Democrats who campaigned on a platform of fiscal responsibility — and today’s expected budget vote will be the GOP’s chief weapon.

Republicans say this vote will be a test for freshman Democratic members from traditionally red districts, a factor the NRCC intends to exploit.

“After masking themselves as agents of fiscal responsibility, many Democrats had their cover blown after last week’s pork-stuffed supplemental proved to protect more peanuts and tropical fish than troops in the field and veterans at home,” said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain. “Now they mistakenly think they can get away with voting for the largest tax increase in American history. This is an assault on the pocketbooks of middle-class Americans that will not be allowed to go unnoticed in their districts back home.”

Targeted Democratic members include Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Tim Mahoney (Fla.), Jason Altmire (Pa.), Zack Space (Ohio), Patrick Murphy (Pa.), Chris Carney (Pa.), Nancy Boyda (Kan.), Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), Steve Kagen (Wis.), Brad Ellsworth (Ind.) and Stephanie Herseth (S.D.)

Ellsworth and Altmire have both signed pledges with Americans for Tax Reform promising not to vote to raise taxes. But as Altmire argues, “this budget doesn’t raise a penny of taxes.”
Altmire said he was not surprised to be a target and added he would have no problem defending his vote in his district.

“One of the reasons I came here was to increase funding for veterans, and this bill has a substantial [increase],” he said.

A Republican strategist said the attacks will be localized and include radio ads and press releases highlighting the vote.

Republicans have been billing the Democratic budget as the “largest tax increase in the country’s history.” Among other things, they say, the $2.9 trillion budget will raise the taxes of more than 5 million individuals and families who previously owed no taxes, eliminate “marriage penalty” tax relief and cut the child tax credit in half. Taken together, Republicans say, these measures could amount to a tax hike of thousands of dollars for every American.
But Democrats dispute these numbers and call the Republican characterization of the budget an outright lie.

“If members could get into trouble for lying on the House floor, there would be quite a few Republican members in trouble today,” said Democratic Caucus spokeswoman Sarah Feinberg. She added that the Democratic budget not only extends President Bush’s tax cuts but expands healthcare for children and provides increased care for veterans.

The Democrats’ budget resolution continues Bush’s tax credits through 2010, but leaves it to a future Congress to decide whether to continue them in 2011, when they are set to expire. Republicans call this a tax increase.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) echoed Feinberg and said that the Republicans’ attacks are rooted in false notions.

“It looks like the NRCC is dusting off their old playbook and flipping to the smoke-and-mirrors chapter,” said Doug Thornell, a DCCC spokesman. “Too bad they do not have their facts straight.”

He added, “If they want to send their members home to their districts with a record of opposing funding for our troops, a new direction in Iraq, and a fiscally responsible budget that invests in our children and veterans, then I like Democrats’ chances in ’08.”