About that DCCC recruitment success…
July 13, 2016
DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján has been telling tall tales about the DCCC’s recruitment this cycle. Luján bragged to Real Clear Politics about House Democrats’ recruiting efforts, but left out one key detail: his committee’s complete failure to recruit credible candidates in swing districts across the country. Since this information may have slipped Rep. Luján’s mind, here are a few of the highlights:
- NJ-03 – The DCCC’s preferred candidate lost his primary to a perennial losing candidate with $600 in cash on hand.
- PA-07 – DCCC recruit Bill Golderer lost his primary by 50-points to a candidate with $17,000 in cash on hand.
- WV-02 – Yet another DCCC primary loss, as DCCC Red to Blue candidate Cory Simpson went down in flames.
- MI-08 – The DCCC touted Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert as a “top-tier” recruit. She failed to gain traction and dropped out of the race before the primary.
- PA-06 – The DCCC failed to field a credible challenger, and are left with candidate with neither name recognition or fundraising ability.
- CA-10 – Unable to find anyone to run, Democrats are left with retread candidate Michael Eggman who already lost in this district by double digits last cycle.
- VA-02 – DCCC recruiting stalled yet again, leaving Democrats with a candidate who has run unsuccessfully in four city council elections and has raised no money for her congressional campaign.
- NY-11 – After Rep. Dan Donovan won his special election, Luján called him a “seat-warmer” and vowed to defeat him this cycle. Luján will have to eat his words after the DCCC failed to recruit a candidate to run against Donovan, and are left with city employee Richard Reichard and his $2,599 cash on hand.
I could go on and on and on, but you get the idea.