CD11: National GOP pumps Harmer

With the four-way Congressional District 11 Republican primary is over, the GOP is beginning to ramp up its support of its nominee David Harmer.

The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee will announce today the promotion of Harmer from the third to the second tier, or “Contender” status, in its Young Guns program. (What’s with the GOP and its gun analogies? But I digress.)

The escalation places Harmer on the NRCC’s Young Guns Web site and he will have the opportunity to make the top level if his campaign meets fundraising, volunteer, outreach and other goals. The GOP created the program to help GOP candidates develop stronger campaigns and publicize their efforts.

The roughly equivalent program at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is its Frontline Democrats program, which already includes CD11 incumbent Rep. Jerry McNerney.

Read on for the NRCC’s full press release:

Washington- The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced today (Monday) that Republican David Harmer (CA-11) has reached ‘Contender’ status as part of its Young Guns program. ‘Contender’ status is the second step in the three-level program. Harmer now faces a new set of benchmarks to reach ‘Young Gun’ status in his bid to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. After winning a tough four-way primary on June 8, he now enters the general election campaign against two-term Democrat incumbent Jerry McNerney.

Founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young Guns program is a member-driven organization dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide. By achieving ‘Contender’ status, Harmer has already proven his ability to build a successful campaign structure and achieve vital fundraising goals.

“David Harmer has already proven that he will be a formidable candidate by meeting the rigorous goals of the Young Guns program. He is well on his way to building a winning general election campaign that will put this seat in the Republican column,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). “David is part of a strong and growing pool of candidates who are frustrated with the Democrat majority’s big-government ways and aren’t willing to stand by any longer. The success of his campaign has put congressional Democrats on notice that Americans are ready to turn the page on the failed experiment known as the Obama-Pelosi agenda.”

Harmer possesses a diverse and impressive resume, from working as a congressional aide to becoming a successful attorney, businessman, and community leader. As a businessman, Harmer recognizes the severity of the Democrats’ job-killing spending agenda and looks forward to bringing a fiscally responsible voice to Washington. He graduated with honors from law school at Brigham Young University, and after working as an attorney for many years, wrote a book on education reform that was published by the Cato Institute in the mid 1990s. Harmer currently lives in the East Bay with his wife, Elayne and their four young children. He is the son of former California State Senator and Lieutenant Governor John Harmer, a key ally of former California Governor Ronald Reagan.

David Harmer now faces a new set of rigorous goals that will elevate him to the top level of the Young Guns program and help him build a competitive, effective and winning campaign.

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