Ten House Races Where Your Support Can REALLY Do the Most Good
By Dave Nalle - September 10, 2010 at 11:48 PM
Filed under California , Congress , Elections , Illinois , Maine , Minnesota , North Carolina , Oregon , South Carolina , Washington
Filed under California , Congress , Elections , Illinois , Maine , Minnesota , North Carolina , Oregon , South Carolina , Washington
Campaign strategist Dick Morris recently blogged about focusing support on ten key house races where he believes money and personal effort will make the most difference for Republicans in November. While I agree with the concept of focusing support on key races, there is a fundamental problem with the list Morris has put together. Instead of focusing on the best candidates, it is a list almost entirely composed of establishment candidates. It focuses on winning seats and ignores the imperative to change the focus of the party and the Congress in November.
While Morris’ candidates may have a good chance of winning, they are mostly not the kinds of candidates who will move the GOP in a positive direction or take roles as principled leaders in Congress. They may end up being helpful votes as part of a future coalition, but they are not the right candidates to form the nucleus of a new and better Republican majority.
It’s much more important in this key election to put your money and support behind GOP candidates who are both able to win and also dedicated to Constitutional principles and restoring the core ideals of the GOP. To redo Morris’ work from the perspective of a pro-liberty activist rather than a political hack who used to call his pal Bill Clinton while he was in bed with a hooker and Clinton was playing hide the cigar with an intern, I offer my list of the ten house candidates who really deserve your help and your money. They are listed in order of my somewhat subjective assessment of their need and worthiness.
Mick Mulvaney (SC-5)
A principled constitutional conservative who is running in a tough blue-leaning district against an incumbent he has done the near impossible to come up tied at 46% to 46% with his opponent in the latest poll. He needs any support he can get in a critical race.
Find out more about his campaign at www.mulvaneyforcongress.com
Jason Levesque (ME-2)
Trailing in the polls, but working very hard to catch up. He’s a committed Liberty Republican and is trailing 7 points in the polls. It’s a deficit he can make up by November. He has the energy and needs your support.
Find out more about his campaign at www.levesqueforcongress.com
John Koster (WA-2)
A principled constitutional conservative who is leading by about 4 points in the latest poll. He needs to widen his lead to secure an important upset win.
Find out more about his campaign at www.kosterforcongress.com
Delia Lopez (OR-3)
A promising and hard working Liberty Republican who speaks out strongly for Constitutionally protected rights and civil liberties. She’s a real anti-establishment candidate who is running a very active campaign, but has an uphill battle.
Find out more about his campaign at: www.dlopezforcongress.com
David Ratowitz (IL-5)
One of my favorite Liberty Republicans running this year. On the right side of just about every issue. Strong on individual liberty and fiscal issues. He has a tough but winnable race, but needs help to pull off an upset.
Find out more about his campaign at: www.ratowitzforcongress.com
John Dennis (CA-8)
One of the most high profile Liberty Republican candidates in one of the most challenging races in the country, taking on Speaker Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco. Yes, he’s down by more than 20 points in the polls, but there are still enough undecided votes that he could win. He might be able to pull off a miracle with your help.
Help him beat Pelosi at: www.johndennis2010.com
Chip Cravaack (MN-8)
A strong fiscal conservative with integrity and a background as a navy pilot. The kind of principled leader we need in Congress. Not much polling information, but his fundraising is strong and he seems like a potential winner.
Find out more about his campaign at: www.chipcravack.com
Gary Clift (CA-10)
A strong Liberty Republican in a race that is under the radar in northern California. The incumbent was elected in a special election and did not beat Clift by wide margins in that race, so there is potential for an upset with your help.
Find out more about his campaign: www.cliftforcongress.com
B. J. Lawson (NC-4)
One of the most respected Liberty Republican candidates, he has surprised many by taking a small lead in the latest poll. He needs to widen that lead to secure the seat and put another principled spokesman for liberty in the House.
Find out more about his campaign at www.lawsonforcongress.com
Lee Byberg (MN-7)
Coming off a very strong primary win, but the race hasn’t gotten much media attention. Internal polling suggests that he can win with enough support and exposure. He’s a strong constitutional conservative with civil libertarian leanings.
Find out more about his campaign at: www.bybergforcongress.com
These are hardly the only deserving candidates, but Morris picked ten so I limited myself to that. I eliminated great candidates with races which were too hard to assess like Bill Gunn (MA-1), Dan Sebring (WI-4) and others. I also passed over candidates who are running away with their races like Justin Amash (MI-3) or some who just seem too far behind to be saved.
There will be many turnovers in the House this fall. There’s not one candidate Morris and I agree on, but there’s room for his less inspiring candidates if we can put my 10 pro-liberty, pro-constitution Republicans in the House to show them the way.
Check out the websites of the candidates from both lists and think about which group of 10 you’d rather have shape the future of the Republican Party.
In the course of researching this article I found TPM’s new Political Tracker beta site very helpful.
A version of this article appeared previously on Blogcritics.
On September 11th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Greetings,
I for one want to give credit to the author for even recognizing Morris’s establishments slant. I just wish you had 11 reviews because I’m convinced that Bill Gunn,mentioned in your closing, is EXACTLY the type of candidate we should be rushing to support.
I don’t know how he did it, but Bill Gunn’s volunteers gathered over 4,200 validated signatures in about three weeks. Not even the campaign knew this was happening. A silent army of citizens snapped into action and continues to gain traction. For the first time in my memory a solid candidate of the people could actually beat an entrenched incumbent, without the advantage of big government donor dollars.
I went to several events to listen to Bill Gunn speak. I don’t have any money to offer, but I do have time. Especially since my business has become a economic statistic. Given what I heard, I’ve committed all of my free time to helping get Bill’s words to the ears of the people in Massachusetts District one.
Our current Representative is a career politician and card carrying member of the Democratic SOCIALIST of American (DSA) named John Olver. He’s completely unresponsive and has publicly spoken in condemnation of the Constitution. Olver also enjoys the financial support of teachers unions and a host of ACORN-type NGO’s.
Please consider checking Bill Gunn’s website out and donate if you can. Volunteers are always welcome too. Moreover, unlike Olver, if you contact Bill, he WILL get back to you! You can contact him at bill@billgunnforcongress.com Please research this candidate and help us take this federal seat back to the people.
In Liberty,
Dave
On September 11th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Dave, a lot of these candidates are pretty obscure. Even I, a hardline political junkie have never heard of them, outside of McCormack, Ratowizc, and Dennis.
Chip who?
And Morris listed some good candidates, like Beth Ann Rankin in Arkansas. It’d be fantastic if she knocks off two-faced Mike Ross.
Plus, he lists two explicitly libertarian candidates – Ryan Frazier in Colorado, and “Reagan libertarian” Dave Harmer in California. A Libertarian Party guy is one of Harmer’s top political aides in that race.
And Morris mentions the John Gomez race in Long Island, NY. This would be a huge win. Gomez is Sean Hannity’s lifelong best buddy.
On September 11th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Yes, Morris was a “toe-sucking, prostute visiting” Clintonite. Yet, he’s reformed majorly since the 1990s. Gotta give him his due. He’s now a hardline Republican. And we gotta respect that.
On September 11th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Having been at one time the Campaign Manager for Bill Gunn, Billgunnforcongress.com, I would say that he has a very good chance of unseating the incumbent John Olver – (D) Amherst. Gunn has the backing of many groups such as the Tea Party, Gun clubs, the GOP, and many more and has a grass roots army at his dispoal of whom want to see change in this district and this country. Thank you!
On September 11th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Wondering why this race was left off the list. Dean Scontras R-ME is looking to unseat progressive Chellie Pingree. Chellie is on the House Rules Committee which helped push healthcare through. She is a rubberstamp for Pelosi. Dean is a conservative who spent the last year working with the Paul Revere Project to share the perils of out of control government spending with Mainers. Dean is well worth a look. Rudy Guiliani was here with Dean this week and said it perfectly when he said this congressional race in Maine is not just going to affect Maine, but indeed the whole country.
On September 11th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Dave, a lot of these candidates are pretty obscure. Even I, a hardline political junkie have never heard of them, outside of McCormack, Ratowizc, and Dennis.
Well, I picked them because they need and deserve help, not because they’re easy wins with high profiles already.
And Morris listed some good candidates, like Beth Ann Rankin in Arkansas. It’d be fantastic if she knocks off two-faced Mike Ross.
I looked at Rankin. She’s a hardcore religious conservative and nothing like a libertarian.
Plus, he lists two explicitly libertarian candidates – Ryan Frazier in Colorado,
He was 12th on my list, but it appears that polling has him down by such a large margin that he didn’t seem like a reasonable investment.
and “Reagan libertarian” Dave Harmer in California. A Libertarian Party guy is one of Harmer’s top political aides in that race.
Well, Harmer isn’t listening to him. He’s pro-war, supports Proposition 8 and is a immigration hawk.
And Morris mentions the John Gomez race in Long Island, NY. This would be a huge win. Gomez is Sean Hannity’s lifelong best buddy.
Which I’m afraid I’d count as a mark against him, plus he’s a raving nativist. Nothing to set him apart from the establishment.
Yes, Morris was a “toe-sucking, prostute visiting” Clintonite. Yet, he’s reformed majorly since the 1990s. Gotta give him his due. He’s now a hardline Republican. And we gotta respect that.
No I don’t. He’s a sell-out to the Republican establishment just like he was a sell-out to the Democrat leadership in the Clinton era.
Dave
On September 11th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Dave – Thanks for mentioning Lee Byberg (MN-7) and Chip Cravaack (MN-8). Both are great candidates and deserve more exposure than they are currently getting. Though I am not in either of their congressional districts, I live in Minnesota and would love to see them win!
On September 11th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
What are you talking about Eric. I told you about Jason, he is running the in the District I ran for in 2002. He is the first Republican nominee to actually live on the biggest population center in the district (Lewiston-Auburn.)
History has shown that a Democrat cannot win without winning this area with 65% of the vote and I don’t see Jason losing his hometown, certainly not 2 to 1.
On September 12th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Dave & Kyle. The only reason I didn’t move Gunn up my list (he was #11) was that I just didn’t have enough information on the viability of his campaign. Part of the balancing act with an article like this is that the candidates need to be both good candidates (which Gunn certainly is) and close enough to winning that a little bit of help will make a difference. The problem on Gunn is that I just didn’t know if he was in a winnable position. There’s been zero polling in his race and until I wrote the article I hadn’t heard much about the campaign and had little personal knowledge of it to go on.
Dave
On September 14th, 2010 at 5:03 am
Dave,
Thanks for the support for Chip Cravaack (MN-8). And Eric, please go to http://www.votechip.org of Facebook, Cravaack for Congress, so you can learn about this stellar candidate. Minnesota’s 8th may seem obscure to you, but this district used to be the economic engine of our great state,(iron mining), and is still rich in natural resources, but lacking jobs. Jim Oberstar, our current congressman is 76 and has become a beltway Obama flunky. He has maintained a solid DFL majority up here for way too long and his support of Obamacare with it’s backdoor funding for abortions has conservative Dems upset. His “clean water” bill is nothing but a federal water grab and this does not sit well in the land of 10,000 lakes either. Cravaack is pro constitution, fiscally conservative, and with 28 years in the Navy (pilot, pilot instructor, stint in the Pentagon), has leadership skills above and beyond most pols, including our President. He should NOT be unknown.
On September 14th, 2010 at 6:10 am
Chip Cravaack may be an obsure unknown nationally but not here in MN 8th District. This is a huge district (north and south from just north of the Twin Cities to the Canadian Border, east and west from the center of the state to the tip of the Arrowhead). Chip has been on the road for months criss-crossing the District with the help of an all volunteer campaign crew. He has run (literally) in 42 of the 86 parades this summer. This effort has made his name known in the District.
He is a citizen candidate not a politician and the first Republican since I have lived in NE Minnesota (over 40 years) to have made serious inroads in this overwhelmingly Democrat District. His presence is so strong that Oberstar (whom he is running against) is avoiding the area. Every day he is gaining more of the union members and conservative Democrat support.
Oberstar is counting on his massive war chest of well over $1,000,000 to blanket the area with billboards, TV ads, etc. and his reputation for “bringing home Pork” to carry him. Chip simply does not have these resources and we are counting on Chip’s strong conservative ideas and beliefs to carry him through.
It is always hard for a citizen candidate to get the support needed but this kind of notice really helps.
Thank you for the recognition.
On September 14th, 2010 at 8:13 am
Hi Dave,
Thanks you so much for mentioning Chip Cravaack. He’s the 1st/best chance we’ve ever had to defeat our entrenched and totally out of touch congressman Jim Oberstar. However, you got his website wrong! Please tell your readers to go to http://www.votechip.org.
On September 14th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Chip who? Retired Navy Captain Chip Cravaack (VoteChip.org), an officer and a gentleman for whom an awakening voting populace in Minnesota’s 8th District, are likely going to replace, out of touch, Jim Oberstar. Voters of all political stripes are joining the chorus, 28 years in the Navy trumps 36 years in congress. A statesman v. a politician. It’s not about being republican, democrat, or independent, it’s about
being an American. Each time Chip was promoted, he gave his solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of American against all enemies foreign AND domestic. Chip is suiting up one more time, and he is going to war!
On September 14th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Chip Cravaack is running against Jim Oberstar who has been in office now for 35 years. Oberstar doesn’t even live in MN and is rarely available to his constituents, especially those who don’t support him. If you go to Chips web-site you’ll find out why he decided to run against Oberstar.
Chip is exactly the kind of person we need in DC, he is very much a man of honor and integrity!
On September 15th, 2010 at 6:00 am
My husband and I met with Jason Levesque over a year ago,after his announced candidacy, and we have a great respect for his work ethic, his integrity, his being a veteran, having served in the Army, his commitment to his family as a husband and father, and his desire to do for Maine people just what our present Congressman has not done–to be available and transparent in this second district in Maine, which is the largest one East of the Mississippi.
Supporting Jason will be in the best interest of conservative Republicans.
I was very disappointed, but not surprised that the NRSC said publicly that they will not back Christine O’Donnell for November. This is exactly why we know so many Republicans are RINO’S, including our 2 senators from Maine. They would rather sit at the right hand of Obama, sipping wine and eating grapes, than to stand for anything.
On September 15th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Jeannie mentioned the Dean Scontras/Chellie Pingree race.
I find it interesting that the Democrat nominee for governor in Maine has a daughter-in-law who is Chellie’s chief-of-staff. Have not seen this reported in the mainstream media.
Nor have I heard anyone wonder where this nominee’s son got the money for renovating a building in Portland’s Old Port just in time for his mother’s primary victory party….
Was stimulus money in the connections the Mitchell family seems to have?
On September 18th, 2010 at 7:21 am
I must amend the comment about Jason Levesque’s race for the 2nd Congressional District in Maine and say that it is not only conservative Republicans who should be voting for him–all voters, whether registered Republican, Democrat or Independent should be joining in to elect this man from Auburn, ME.
On September 20th, 2010 at 8:35 am
Stravos, Other Mainers, Jason sounds great. Let’s hope he wins, and let’s all do what we can to ensure that.
However, there’s a new poll out this morning showing him 20 points down. It’s at Hedgehog. Ironically, LePage is winning big for Gov. I gotta think LePage is gonna have some coat-tails?
On September 20th, 2010 at 8:36 am
Dave, latest polls have Ryan Frazier ahead by a few points, in Colorado.
On September 20th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
BTW, I’m in Maine right now and I’m seeing quite a few Levesque signs and very few for Michaud, for what that’s worth. Neither has any compared to LePage.
Dave
On September 29th, 2010 at 2:54 am
When I originally commented I clicked the ?Notify me when new feedback are added? checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any way you are able to remove me from that service? Thank you
On October 1st, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Mr. Morris: My husband and I are very actively supporting a local candidate whom we feel has a chance to un-seat Liberal Lloyd Doggett for the 25th District of Texas. with just a little extra help nationally. Dr. Donna Campbell is the conservative, family values, common sense, hard working, energetic person we feel would be an asset to the US Congress. Locally she is very well liked by everyone who meets her and has the support of the surrounding counties. The one problem is that Mr. Doggett is entranched in the South Austin area of Travis and Hayes counties where a great percentage of the 25th votes come from. We are trying to infiltrate those areas.
Any help you could give us would be so much appreciated.
We really believe she could win and we will never again have such a good chance to un-seat him
Bob & Betty Berger
On October 3rd, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Betty, I’m the author of this, not Dick Morris. And let me assure you that as the Communications Director of the Travis County Republican Party I’m very aware of the Donna Campbell campaign and we’re doing everything we can to help her beat Lloyd Doggett. As I’m sure you’re aware it’s an uphill battle.
Outside of my role with the county GOP I’ve also worked with the Campbell campaign in some other areas where I have expertise (email me for details). She is running a very energetic campaign and has a lot of great people working for her. If anyone can beat Doggett on the kind of platform she is running on, she’s the one.
Dave
On October 5th, 2010 at 7:13 am
Interesting to note that a recent article about Nancy Pelosi’s “Jedi Tricks” tells us that the D’s especially in vulnerable elections were able to vote against adjournment of Congress in order to go back to their voters and tell them they did so because they felt their was still much to take up.
Mike Michaud has touted this fact, as he has returned to Maine, thus making him look better, despite his YES votes on the stimulus packages and the Obamacare(deathrisk) bill, along with other very questionable votes.
We need JASON LEVESQUE to be elected November 2, defeating this “speak from both sides of my mouth” Michaud, who is also touting much to be added for veterans in Maine next year because of him, but he has not addressed the fact of what will take place between now and then because of the unconstitutional Obama health care debacle.
On October 5th, 2010 at 7:15 am
Correction to previous reply–there, not their.