NRCC Morning Reads For Oct. 24, 2014: Battle In Coal Country, Dems’ Desperation, New NRCC Ads
Good morning once again. It is Friday, October 24, 2014 and these are your NRCC Morning Reads.
In West Virginia, A Central Battleground for the House:
Trip Gabriel of The New York Times takes a look at the fight for West Virginia’s 3rd congressional district today. The battle pits anti-coal Democrat and noted Obama supporter Nick Rahall against pro-coal Republican Evan Jenkins. Jenkins was a Democrat state senator, but was so fed up with Obama and Rahall’s war on coal that he switched parties and is taking on the longtime incumbent.
“In a debate last week, Mr. Rahall boasted of ‘standing up to my party to stop the overreaching, overzealous, job-killing E.P.A. agenda.’
‘It is a tough argument to win, however, given the president’s desire to leave an environmental legacy of lower carbon emissions from power plants, as proposed by the E.P.A. this year.
‘Mr. Rahall has struggled to explain his vote in 2013 for a budget proposal by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which included a $25 per ton carbon tax. He has said that he does not support a carbon tax and that he voted for the liberal budget blueprint, which badly failed in the House, to make a statement against Representative Paul D. Ryan’s Republican budget, with its many cuts to social programs. That plan passed the House but not the Senate.
‘Mr. Jenkins, who served in the State Legislature as a Democrat before switching parties last year, does not buy it. ‘This president has written off West Virginia,’ he said. ‘He’s written off coal, and unfortunately, we’ve got a congressman who has helped him every step of the way.'”
All These Words Start With D: Democrat, Defense, and Desperation:
Democrats are scared. House Republicans are running strongly in Obama districts and they’ve reduced themselves to playing prevent defense in hopes to simply salvage the Democrats that are already in Washington. This isn’t a surprise to anyone, but today they’ve taken even more extraordinary measures to shore up weak incumbents.
National Journal’s Jack Fitzpatrick reports Democrats are dumping another $1.3 million into television ads:
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“Illinois’s 10th District: $318,000 supporting Schneider from Oct. 28 to Election Day.
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Illinois’s 12th District: $485,000 supporting Enyart from Oct. 28 to Election Day.
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Minnesota’s 8th District: $65,000 supporting Nolan from Oct. 24-28, on top of a $740,000 ad buy announced Tuesday, running from Oct. 28 to Election Day.
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New York’s 24th District: $233,000 supporting Maffei from Oct. 24 to Election Day.
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West Virginia’s 3rd District: $163,000 supporting Rahall from Oct. 25-27.”
These Democrats all have voting records wildly out-of-step with their districts and have become nothing more than a rubberstamp for President Obama and Nancy Pelosi. Democrats’ desperation here is beyond telling. In fact, it’s reminiscent of the scene from one of the recent Star Trek movies…
Brew the Coffee. These Races Could Have You Up Late on Election Night:
In this morning’s Roll Call, Emily Cahn profiles some of the House races that will be among the closest in the country. Ranging from districts in California to New York, these are the types of seats that may be decided in the wee hours of the next morning (or even beyond) and possibly by just a few hundred votes. Cahn lists Arizona’s 1st and 2nd districts, California’s 7th, Illinois’ 10th, Iowa’s 3rd, and New Hampshire and New York’s 1st districts as the 7 “nail-biter House races.”
The NRCC is actively engaged in all of these districts and we’re playing to win. In fact, here’s an television ad we just released in New Hampshire’s 1st district.
News and Notes From the Campaign Trail:
- The NRCC released a series of ads today in CO-06, IA-01, IA-02, NH-01, and NY-24, hitting Democrat candidates and incumbents.
- Republican Bruce Poliquin and ultra-liberal Democrat Emily Cain debated in Maine last night. Cain attempted to defend her tax-and-spend record.
- Out in Iowa last night, Republican Steve King debated Democrat Jim Mowrer. Some hot topics were ObamaCare and ebola.
- A New Hampshire Public Radio story says Carol Shea-Porter defended ObamaCare saying those that don’t like it simply don’t understand it.
- A new poll shows Illinois congressman Rodney Davis with a commanding lead over Democrat Ann Callis.
There are just 11 days until Election Day 2014 and those are your NRCC Morning Reads.
-Matt