It finally happened — Chairman Steve Stivers spilled the beans on one of the NRCC’s worst-kept secrets: Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions is vulnerable, and national Republicans are increasingly nervous about the lengths they’ll have to go to protect him.
The NRCC’s admission comes in the same month that Sessions made national headlines when he lost control of a Dallas town hall and then went viral when he made the absurdly false claim on CNN that “nobody is going to lose their coverage” as a result of the reckless Republican health care repeal bill.
Buckle up, Congressman. You’re in for a wild ride.
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DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Republicans to use money raised by Donald Trump to protect Pete Sessions
By Gromer Jeffers
4/6/2017
Republicans view Pete Sessions as vulnerable of losing his seat next year and plan to spend critical campaign resources to protect him.
The National Republican Congressional Committee, the political arm of House Republicans, raised nearly $36 million in the first three months of this year, including $15.5 million in March.
President Donald Trump helped haul in much of that money as he seeks to hold the GOP majority in Congress.
According to a McClatchy report, NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers of Ohio said the part of their plan is to defend GOP incumbents, including Reps. Darrell Issa in California , Carlos Curbelo in Florida and Sessions in Dallas.
Sessions, who once led the NRCC, is the powerful chairman of the House Rules Committee.
He’s seen as vulnerable because in 2016 Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump in Congressional District 32, which is anchored in Dallas.
For years, changing demographics have given Democrats hope of one-day beating Sessions, though he’s easily won re-election for multiple political cycles.
Candidates are already emerging, including DISD trustee Miguel Solis. Other names tossed around are Ed Meier, former policy adviser to Clinton and a non-profit executive, and former NFL player and civil rights lawyer Colin Allred.
Last week the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed 10,000 automatic phone calls bashing Sessions over a privacy vote. The calls went to base Democratic voters and independents in Sessions’ district.
In March Texas Democrats met with Dallas donors to discuss beating Sessions, as well as other party goals.
Supporters of the longtime congressman say they aren’t worried about Democrats, but won’t take any challenge for granted.