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Congressional round-up

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* Let’s start the round-up with this Washington Post story:

Republicans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies, GOP officials said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched a half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.

The hope is that a vigorous effort to “define” opponents, in the parlance of GOP operatives, can help Republicans shift the midterm debate away from Iraq and limit losses this fall. The first round of attacks includes an ad that labeled a Democratic candidate in Wisconsin “Dr. Millionaire” and noted that he has sued 80 patients.

“Opposition research is power,” said Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (N.Y.), the NRCC chairman. “Opposition research is the key to defining untested opponents.”

The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, has enlisted veteran party strategist Terry Nelson to run a campaign that will coordinate with Senate Republicans on ads that similarly will rely on the best of the worst that researchers have dug up on Democrats. The first ad run by the new RNC effort criticizes Ohio Rep. Sherrod Brown (D) for voting against proposals designed to toughen border protection and deport illegal immigrants.

* And here’s a Tribune story from last week that I missed:

Conventional political wisdom suggests that most voters don’t pay much attention to campaigns until the fall, but that hasn’t stopped the two candidates vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde in the 6th Congressional District from already giving constituents an earful.

Democrat Tammy Duckworth has revved up the robocalls, leaving recorded messages for voters about her support of embryonic stem cell research and her opponent Peter Roskam’s opposition to it. Republicans have been jamming mailboxes for Roskam, hammering Duckworth on taxes and immigration.

The intensity will only increase as the campaigns spend millions of dollars rolling out television ads, VIP fundraising appearances, phone calls, mailers and lawn signs, trying to find any advantage in one of most hotly contested congressional campaigns in the country.

* Incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean says she won’t participate in any more candidate forums with her opponents.

* Roskam and Duckworth spar over O’Hare.

The skies over the 6th Congressional District are far from friendly when it comes to the scuffle between Democrat Tammy Duckworth and Republican Peter Roskam.

So itâ€™s no surprise the two who are seeking the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde would differ on Chicagoâ€™s controversial expansion plan at Oâ€™Hare International Airport.

Roskam, a state senator from Wheaton, calls the proposal wrongheaded. He argues that homes and landmarks in Bensenville and industry in Elk Grove Village will be destroyed. […]

Hoffman Estates resident Duckworth, a National Guard pilot who flew in Iraq, considers expansion a fait accompli. â€œItâ€™s going to happen,â€ she said.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 8:51 am

Comments

We all know it is going to happen (O’Hare expansion) but the question is in the details. I like how Susan Garrett sponsored an ammendment to limit emminent domain, but exempted the OHare land grab. If they are going to take land from Bensenville and Elk Grove, just compensate them “fairly”.

I hate robocalls! Mail can be thrown away, but a Robocall forces me to stop what I am doing an dpick up the phone…if I chose to pick up the phone.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 9:39 am
I think it’s typical of the Republican party to not talk about issues. Instead they spend their time time trying to convince the public that democrats are the devil when in fact the republicans are far from the cleanest bunch with Abramoff, Delay, etc…

Just about everyone has skeletons in their closet. Trying to use them to prove one is or isn’t an effective leader is usually a waste of time. If only the gullible general public wouldn’t fall for it…

Comment by Robbie Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 10:16 am
My parents live in Dr. Millionare’s district. They are sick of the adds already and the primary hasn’t even occurred yet!! (It’s tomorrow) If anything it will drive people away from the polls. I guess the GOP is counting on a low voter turnout to keep their advantage in Congress.
I guess when you don’t actually represent anything (both parties imho) then you have to dredge up this trash to differentiate yourself from the other side.

Comment by train111 Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 10:36 am
I’d hit all the Republican Senate and House candidates very hard on Social Seccurity since Bush has publicly stated that he intends to revisit his Social Securtiy privatizzation plan next year. It’s a sure loser for the Republicans involved in close races. Bush wants to save Social Security the same way he liberated Iraq - by effectively destroying it.

Comment by Captain America Monday, Sep 11, 06 @ 1:29 pm