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Nov 9, 2007

The Hill - Short of Cash, the NRCC seeks millionaires

Faced with lingering debt and a losing fundraising battle, House Republicans are recruiting a slew of self-funding candidates to run in many of their top races this election cycle.

At least seven candidates with the ability to self-fund millions have stepped forward in key districts for the GOP so far, and more could be on the way.

Most of the wealthy candidates were recruited by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), but some have stepped forward on their own and gotten the attention of a committee that could use the aid of their pocketbooks in its attempt to recoup its 2006 losses. Five are running against members of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) Frontline program for vulnerable members, while one is running against perennial target Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.). Another is running for retiring Rep. Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) seat in a race that could become a battleground.

The NRCC had nearly $4 million in debt and $1.6 million in cash at the end of September, and it has raised about three-fourths of the DCCC’s haul this cycle.

Democrats are quick to point out that self-funding candidates have a shoddy track record. Last cycle, only four of 28 candidates who spent more than $1 million on their congressional bids were elected to Congress, and only three of 48 won in the previous three cycles combined, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

But this crop differs from others due to the competitive races at stake and the candidates’ résumés, said self-funding expert Jennifer Steen, the author of the book Self-Financed Candidates in Congressional Elections.

“More typically, the party will let self-financers foot the bill for having a name on the ballot in long-shot districts,” Steen said. “But this crop of self-financers is atypical in one other significant respect: Several of them actually have some political experience.”

House Republicans will try self-funders in two districts where wealthy candidates failed last year. Businessman Mike Erickson decided to give it a second-straight try against Hooley, while businessman Steve Greenberg will attempt to do what fellow self-funding Republican David McSweeney could not last year and beat Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.).

In another Illinois race, former Senate and gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis promises to plug millions into his campaign in Hastert’s district, but he must first get past state Sen. Chris Lauzen in a primary.

Two wealthy candidates are running against Democratic freshmen in neighboring New York districts, as former state GOP Chairman Sandy Treadwell and businessman Andrew Saul are favored by the party to oppose Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand and John Hall, respectively.

Likewise, businessman Dan Meuser and attorney Francisco “Quico” Canseco are running for the seats of freshman Democratic Reps. Chris Carney (Pa.) and Ciro Rodriguez (Texas), respectively.

An eighth candidate, former Rep. Mike Sodrel (R-Ind.), has self-funded in the past and is in a top race against another Frontline freshman, Rep. Baron Hill (D). And another former congressman, Charles Taylor (R-N.C.), self-funded $2.8 million in a failed reelection bid last year and hasn’t ruled out running for his old seat against Frontline freshman Rep. Heath Shuler (D) in 2008.

“Some of our strongest challengers happen to have access to personal financial resources,” said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain. “Many of them have displayed very impressive fundraising prowess.”

DCCC spokesman Doug Thornell said the NRCC is using wealthy candidates to prop itself up in tough financial times.

“Given the NRCC’s current financial problems and the unpopularity of the GOP brand, Republican candidates will be largely on their own to defend their party’s record of blocking progress and protecting George Bush’s failed policies,” Thornell said.

Canseco is perhaps the most interesting case among the self-funders. A virtual unknown, he has already contributed more than $1 million of his own money and run TV and radio ads in his attempt to unseat Rodriguez in a massive district in southwest Texas.

Another GOP candidate recently dropped out, citing money concerns, while Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larson will have to decide soon whether he wants to run against the millionaire in a primary.

“I will shore up whatever is needed in order to win this primary,” Canseco said. In Pennsylvania, Meuser faces a primary against another NRCC-recruited opponent, businessman Chris Hackett, but could be the GOP standard-bearer in one of the most conservative districts on the party’s target list.

Meanwhile, the party is enthusiastic about Erickson’s candidacy in Oregon despite his 11-point loss last year. He is starting earlier and has hired a new campaign manager. After running a six-month campaign funded almost entirely by $1.6 million of his own money, he is placing a much greater emphasis on fundraising.

The NRCC has pressed the importance of fundraising to the candidates, and some have had more success than others.

Erickson raised $100,000 in the third quarter, with about half coming from people who contributed to his campaign last year and their family members.

Erickson told The Hill in a recent interview that he’s gotten plenty of interest from new donors. He said he aims to raise well over $1 million and doesn’t plan to self-fund. That’s a significant challenge for someone who only raised $200,000 in 2006.

Treadwell has proven adept at tapping connections he’s made over the years, raising $500,000 so far and topping it off with $320,000 of his own money.

He estimated his race will cost $4 million to $5 million. Gillibrand has already raised more than $2 million, which ranks second only to Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) among House members running for reelection.

Treadwell said he expects to rely primarily on fundraising and then on his own money, but “would love to have help” from the NRCC.

Saul has raised $680,000 for a bid in the expensive New York City media market against Hall, and he’s not accepting money from political action committees. Saul has already plugged $100,000 into his campaign.

Oberweis has contributed millions to two Senate primaries and one gubernatorial primary over the last five years, and his House race should be no different. He could face self-funding Democrat Bill Foster, who has spent $200,000 of his own money so far.

So far, both Oberweis and Lauzen have contributed about $300,000 to their own campaigns, but Lauzen won’t be able to add much, if any, more.

Newcomer Greenberg, who could tap into his own vast wealth, has raised $170,000 and self-funded just $10,000.

Meuser and Sodrel just recently entered their races and have yet to file reports. Sodrel spent $1.2 million on a challenger bid in 2002 but didn’t self-fund during his failed reelection bid last year.