NRCC aims to protect at-risk House Republican incumbents

The National Republican Congressional Committee is launching a revamped incumbent retention program designed to help vulnerable House Republicans raise cash for their reelection campaigns — and warning members that the committee will not bail out those who are insufficiently prepared for competitive races.

The NRCC plans to unveil the first 10 incumbents who qualify for their Patriot Program at a Tuesday briefing to political action committees. The list includes a mix of GOP members, including veterans facing serious challenges for the first time, freshmen in competitive districts and lawmakers representing Democratic-leaning seats.

Among those on the list are Reps. Dan Lungren, Ken Calvert and Brian Bilbray of California, Judy Biggert of Illinois, Anh “Joseph” Cao of Louisiana, Thad McCotter of Michigan, Erik Paulsen of Minnesota, Leonard Lance of New Jersey, Christopher Lee of New York and Dave Reichert of Washington.

As part of the effort to assist these vulnerable members, the NRCC will be organizing fundraising events, bringing in high-profile Republican surrogates and committing resources to their campaigns. In exchange, the committee is demanding that candidates meet strict fundraising benchmarks and commit to assembling a strong campaign plan.

The NRCC also intends to monitor the members’ list of political consultants to make sure their resources are being spent effectively. All qualifying participants signed a contract laying out their fundraising goals and defining their campaign’s responsibilities. Republicans hope the new program will provide a level of accountability that committee officials believe was absent from vulnerable incumbent retention programs in previous election cycles.

“The program is only going to be used for those members who are helping themselves and if they’re out doing everything right. If they’re raising money, they’ve earned their way onto this list,” said Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the NRCC’s incumbent retention committee.

In the past two elections, the party spent valuable resources on behalf of several members in conservative-leaning districts who failed to raise enough money to run effective campaigns. One oft-cited example is former Idaho Rep. Bill Sali, who was the beneficiary of $136,000 in NRCC spending in 2008.
Sali, however, did little to help his own cause, raising only $1.2 million in the face of a strong challenge. He lost his heavily Republican district, 51 percent to 49 percent.

Former Indiana Rep. John Hostettler was another who frequently lagged behind in fundraising and relied on the NRCC to fund his campaigns until he was defeated in 2006.

GOP sources say the Patriot Program will not tolerate such lackluster fundraising efforts, and members who aren’t on the list by next fall will not receive a helping hand from the committee. More members are expected to be added later in the election cycle.

“The fundamental difference between last cycle’s ROMP [Regain Our Majority Program] event and the new Patriot Program can be defined in one word: accountability,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Those members who have signed on the dotted line and exhibited progress on the campaign front will reap the benefits of this new NRCC program.”

The first tangible test for the program will come in July, when second-quarter fundraising reports are due. Next month, the committee will be holding a Patriot Day, when GOP members and like-minded political action committees will network and donate money to Patriot Program members. Republicans expect that each member on the list will receive at least $75,000 in extra campaign funds next quarter by being named to the program.

The cash infusion will be particularly crucial for several members who have not been stellar fundraisers in recent elections — like Calvert, Lungren, Biggert and McCotter, who haven’t been included in past incumbent retention programs because they weren’t seriously targeted by Democrats in recent elections.

But after picking up more than 50 House seats in the past two elections, Democrats are looking to expand their list of Republican targets, and members in the Patriot Program are in their sights. Barack Obama carried nine of the 10 Patriot members’ districts in 2008 — including the three California seats.

Left off the Patriot list are three GOP congressmen — Reps. Mark Kirk of Illinois, Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania and Mike Castle of Delaware — representing Democratic-leaning districts where the Democrats have landed solid recruits. All three are exploring the possibility of running for statewide office, and their exclusion from the list is a sign they’re not expected to remain in the House.

Rogers said that if they decide to run for reelection, they would be prime candidates for inclusion when the list is expanded.

“These are great members. We want them to stay here in the House. But if they make other choices, that’s going to be good for our party, too,” said Rogers. “Those are natural and healthy tensions for talented candidates. We don’t look at it as anything other than that.”
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