http://www.thehill.com/thehill/expor...6/mehlman.html
The Republican National Committee (RNC) will spend its entire bank account, $60 million or more, helping Republicans try to retain control of Congress in the midterm elections.
The looming spending spree appears to have spurred Democratic House leaders to reach agreement over how much the Democratic National Committee (DNC) will help counter this onslaught.
The relationship between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and DNC has been rocky. There is dispute over whether it took House Democratic Caucus Chairman James Clyburn’s (S.C.) intervention to broker the deal announced yesterday under which part of the DNC’s $12 million will be funneled to 40 House races. Targeted House Democratic candidates will receive about $60,000 from the party committee.
One Democratic official said Clyburn had to bring the sides together, but another official denied it.
The DNC money will also be spent on Senate and gubernatorial races, and voter turnout activities in battleground states.
It is an open question whether the deal between the DNC and DCCC will be enough to offset the financial advantage that the RNC cash will give Republican candidates this fall.
RNC chairman Ken Mehlman has put in place a plan to raise money aggressively throughout the fall and has made clear that he will not hold back any money for the 2008 presidential election.
In total, the RNC plans to spend more than $60 million on targeted federal races, a record for a national party committee in a midterm election, according to a GOP official familiar with their plans. The funds are “targeted for competitive federal races,” the official said, adding that half would pay for get-out-the-vote operations
Democrats, however, say they are counting on a major boost from their union allies. The AFL-CIO is planning to spend $40 million on get-out-the-vote operations, said Democratic officials.
DNC Chairman Howard Dean said yesterday’s deal shows the party is unified. He is still negotiating with Democratic Senate leaders over how DNC money will be spent to help Senate candidates. .
“We’re busy talking to them,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), when asked about the DNC’s role.
One GOP source familiar with Mehlman’s plans said the committee would raise money aggressively through the fall and would probably collect $15 million to add to its account. The RNC had $43.6 million in the bank at the end of July.
The DNC reported $11.3 million in cash on hand at that time.
Although national party committees are commonly thought of as focused on raising money for White House campaigns and building party infrastructure for presidential election cycles, the RNC has morphed into a complement to the congressional fundraising committees, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
Mehlman can afford to focus on congressional races this year because fundraising for gubernatorial contests has been largely segregated from the national party committees. The Republican Governors Association has raised $25.9 million for Election Day, according to Political Money Line, a nonpartisan organization that tracks fundraising. Its Democratic counterpart has raised $17.9 million.
Republican lawmakers and political strategists believe that Mehlman cannot risk losing control of the Senate or House by a seat or two and still have any money left in his accounts. Even a million dollars could make the difference in a close race that determines control of either chamber.
“I’m sure every penny he’s got between now and November will go into those races,” said Republican strategist Charlie Black. “I think it will make some difference.”
Frank Donatelli, White House political director under Ronald Reagan, said there is little doubt the RNC’s focus is on Congress.
“They’re spending a heck of a lot. I didn’t know that they’re emptying the bank accounts but they’re being very aggressive on fundraising and are spending a heck of lot of money on House and Senate races,” he said. “It’s a huge amount of money.”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who had weighed chairing the NRSC next year, praised Mehlman’s tactics.
“He’s going to pull out all the stops because Ken is a great tactician, he knows what needs to be done,” said Thune. “He knows that the House and Senate are going to be won or lost in the ground game, that’s what he has perfected in the last couple of elections and it takes money to implement that.
“You don’t want to end an election with money in the bank because people are going to say ‘Why didn’t you put more into the ground? Why didn’t you put more into the mail? Why didn’t you put more in television?’ So I think he’s going to raise it and he’s going to expend it in places where it makes a difference.”
Political spending has been a contentious subject among Democratic leaders this cycle as Dean has sought innovative ways to raise and invest party funds. Dean paid less attention to wealthy donors than past party chairman did, focusing instead on raising cash through the Internet and from small-dollar donors.
Dean’s 50-state strategy has spread money to solidly Republican states where the Democratic party structure has atrophied in recent years. Some Democrats think the money would be better spent in swing states and districts where their party has more opportunity for immediate victories.
Schumer and DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) have challenged Dean this year over the strategy. Emanuel stomped angrily out of a contentious meeting with Dean and Schumer in May, according to press reports.
DSCC spokesman Phil Singer declined to discuss Dean’s strategy but dismissed the impact of Republican spending.
“God bless them if they want to spend $60 million,” said Singer. “A field program is only as good as the amount of enthusiasm there is for the Republican Party. It’s clear that the Republican base is dispirited, unenthused and withdrawn. If people are not energized behind what they’re selling, and they are not, it won’t make a difference.”
But one expert predicts it will make a difference.
“The wildcard in the remaining weeks of this midterm election is the substantial amount of money the RNC has on hand,” said Michael Toner, the Republican-appointed chairman of the Federal Election Commission. “That money could make the difference down the stretch in a number of competitive House and Senate elections.
