Which Races Is the DCCC Targeting in Your State?

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting Congressional races in 33 states in 2008.

Does it matter? According to the DCCC:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is the official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House. The DCCC is the only political committee in the country whose principal mission is to support Democratic House candidates every step of the way through this critical election year.

Candidates campaign for DCCC support, and celebrate when they get it, but sometimes find "support" is not what they expected.

In 2006, the DCCC targeted Kentucky's Second District, where Vietnam combat veteran Col. Mike Weaver was challenging repug six-term incumbent Ron Lewis. The DCCC sent a couple of sitting southern congressmen to make speeches, and assigned a couple of D.C. interns to the campaign, apparently so they could get experience, but remained stingy with the actual cash, and failed to make a difference.

Weaver lost by 11 points.

In 2008, the DCCC is again targeting the Second, and might actually succeed, given that Lewis has retired, leaving an open seat.

The DCCC is also targeting Louisville's Third District, a decision which manages to be ironic and stupid at the same time.

Proud Liberal Democrat John Yarmuth took the Third away from five-term repug incumbent Anne Northup in 2006 all by his lonesome - conventional wisdom claiming he had no chance and terror of his liberalism kept the DCCC as far away from Yarmuth as it could get.

Until he won, that is. Won by only 6,000 votes, which is why the DCCC thinks Yarmuth needs their help this year in a rematch against Northup.

Three predictions:

- Yarmuth will beat Northup by at least six points.
- He'll do it without significant help from the DCCC.
- The DCCC will steal all the credit for his victory.

You read it here first.

What's the DCCC up to in your state? Check out this clickable map showing the targeted races in each state and region, with thumbnail summaries of each race.

h/t Cooler King.

Cross-posted at Blue in the Bluegrass.

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Energy & Environmental news you need to know before New Hampshire

Evangelicals are greening up.
Apparently, God has tasked the people to be stewards of the Earth. Who knew? Richard Cizik discusses the importance of the environment to evangelicals on YouTube last November. [Genesis 2:15] [h/t Ozark Politics]

Compare what they said...
The Grist Mill transcribes the Dem's Carbon policy from the ABC/Facebook/WMUR debate on Saturday. Do read this if nothing else.

...with what they meant to say
Then compare to what they reported on the Issues Questionnaire for POTUS when not under duress. Did they get it right?

I'll agree with Grist... in that Hillary best tied Greening Up... to the economy. In my line of work, we're always told... frame your message in the lines of 'how will this affect me?'. She did that very well... but more importantly, better than the others.

Finally, Obama gets a climate award (sort of)
DeSmogBlog trounced the O (will we see this instead of 'W'?) over a weak climate policy. Climate Progress says DeSmogBlog owes O three apologies. And 'clean-burning coal' (cough choke gag) from Illinois has something to do with it.

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RedState Update: Jackie '08 campaign theme song

Here is something to make you smile after a long day. I might get behind Jackie. He likes Evening Shade.

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Hillary Has A Sense Of Humor--Who Knew?

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Hillary Is Just Plain Old Hillary Clinton When She Is Running For President.

Of course when she sends information out to her New York constituents she is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

I make no bones about it. Hillary Clinton is not my favorite candidate. She is the only Democrat I might be tempted to cross party lines to vote against. This story is a perfect example of my problem with Hillary. The woman is 59 years old. She has been married to Bill for 32 years. She is a mother. She has been First Lady. She is the junior Senator from New York. She is very well educated. She is smart. For all of that, the woman isn't comfortable in her own skin. She just doesn't know who the hell she is.

She doesn't even know what to call herself. Somebody has polled New York and discovered that the "Rodham" helps her in that state. Somebody, maybe the same consultant, has polled the rest of the country and discovered that "Rodham" doesn't poll that well. She is "Hillary Rodham Clinton" for one audience and "Hillary Clinton" for another. How does she keep it all straight? As I said she is smart. Smart isn't good enough. All the Democratic candidates are smart.

In her name as in everything else, Hillary goes along with whatever the consultants tell her polls well. We voters have no idea what she really stands for or even if she stands for anything at all. Not an authentic bone in her body.

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