06 cycle vulnerable House Dems cut to 9 from 18 by Rahm Emanuel

[papau]

Anything that upsets the GOP must be a good thing to do! Love it! :-)

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/030105/emanuel.html

March 1, 2005


Emanuel trims his Frontline
By Hans Nichols
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) has cropped the number of “Frontline” Democrats from last year’s 19 to nine, implementing revised criteria to determine which incumbents are truly vulnerable and deserving of member-to-member donations.

The revised criteria have nearly halved last cycle’s number of at-risk lawmakers, allowing House Democrats to designate more of their incumbents’ excess money to knocking off Republicans and contesting open seats.

Emanuel’s higher vulnerability standards also indicate that the DCCC, under his direction, will implement a more calibrated strategy toward channeling member-to-member donations and will not ask lawmakers to part with campaign cash simply to pad skittish incumbents’ margins of victory.

The DCCC declined to confirm the names on the list, but numerous sources throughout the caucus, including aides for lawmakers who have been told of their Frontline status, said that Reps. Melissa Bean (Ill.), Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Chet Edwards (Texas), Stephanie Herseth (S.D.), Brian Higgins (N.Y.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Charlie Melancon (La.), Dennis Moore (Kan.), and John Salazar (Colo.) were informed last week that they will receive direct donations from their fellow incumbents, in addition to other campaign assistance.

“The list is not final,” said Greg Speed, spokesman for the DCCC.

This year’s shortened list could still grow by two or three lawmakers, several caucus sources said, pending redistricting in Georgia, where two marginal Democrats — freshman Rep. John Barrow and second-term Rep. Jim Marshall — will likely see their districts become more Republican.<snip>

[davidinalameda]

1. at least one DINO on that list

maybe that money for Stephanie Herseth would be better spent trying to elect real Democrats instead

[ISUGRADIA]

2. Yes, let's cut no slack to someone in a conservative state

like SD. Nominate an ideologically pure liberal who can get 40% maybe in the general. *rolls eyes*

[davidinalameda]

5. when she votes against my rights

I'm not going to give her any slack

she voted the same way on the gay marriage amendment that Henry Hyde did

but then again, there are so many people on here that rather do what is politically expedient rather than what's right

[ISUGRADIA]

6. There's being politically expedient and then there is being

politically suicidal. If she was in Conn. rather than SD I'd say go get her. But this is SD we're talking about and her overall LGBT voting record is a hell of a lot better than any Repub would be.

[justy387]

3. Steph is awesome and progressive!

eom

[Hippo_Tron]

4. If I happen to still be around LA in '06 I'll help Melancon

After he gets past this second election he should become more safe.