GOP spending big to fight for NY seat

Republicans, trying to show they can win again, are spending heavily to help Jim Tedisco’s (R) bid for the House seat vacated by Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY)  move to the Senate.

At the urging of Republican leaders, 82 members of the GOP conference have agreed to write checks to Tedisco, who is competing in the March 31 special election against venture capitalist Scott Murphy (D). Four additional members are holding fundraisers to benefit their party’s nominee.

Along with GOP leaders John Boehner (R-Ohio), Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.), even freshmen Republicans are being generous with Tedisco. Reps. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), Chris Lee (R-N.Y.), Pete Olson (R-Texas), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) and Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), all in their first terms in office, have chipped in as well.

Most members of leadership have done more than just contributing the maximum amount allowed by law. Boehner and Cantor have also held fundraisers and participated in local events…

… “This is not only an indication of Jim Tedisco’s strength as a candidate, it’s proof that members are invested in our overall plans to fight back to the majority,” said Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Though officials at the NRCC warn the race will be close, privately Republican strategists say a loss would be devastating. Republicans hold a wide voter registration advantage in the district, and before Gillibrand beat an ethically tainted incumbent in 2006 Republicans had held the seat since the 1970s.

Early polls showed Tedisco with a wide lead, though recent public surveys indicate Murphy is quickly closing the gap. Though Republicans privately expressed early optimism and played up their chances of taking over the seat, some strategists are now privately expressing concern.

Seemingly acknowledging the importance of winning the seat, the NRCC on Thursday spent $148,000 on a new advertisement slamming Murphy. That brings the committee’s investment to about $344,000.

The Republican National Committee has gotten involved as well, spending around $80,000 for a coordinated advertisement and transfering $100,000 to the New York GOP last week.

Still, Democrats have been noticably less involved in the race. Though the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has dispatched a press secretary to handle Murphy’s communications strategy, the party has spent $156,000 on its own independent expenditure campaign. The committee did launch a new advertisement late last week, though information about the advertising buy will be filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission.

The DCCC refused to make available a list of members of their caucus who have given to Murphy.

Then again, local Democrats may have less to worry about financially. Murphy was chosen as the party’s nominee as Democrats factored in his ability to contribute to his own campaign.
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