Independence Day Targets
Shortly after the House squeezed in a vote on the Waxman-Markey energy and climate change bill late Friday, Members hit the road for a week-long Fourth of July break. While back in their districts, though, some will be inundated by opposition efforts from the parties' House campaign arms.
The National Republican Congressional Committee is targeting Democrats in Ohio and Virginia that voted for the energy bill. Press releases went out to the formerly Republican districts of Ohio Dems John Boccieri, Steve Driehaus, Mary Jo Kilroy and Zack Space -- all of whom are in their first or second terms.
"Whatever favors Mary Jo Kilroy might have traded for her support for Nancy Pelosi's National Energy Tax, they hardly make up for the higher energy costs and lost jobs that will plague Ohio as a result of their Kilroy's Washington horse trading," NRCC spokesman Ken Spain said in one release. "Mary Jo Kilroy owes her constituents an explanation as to why she continues to back an agenda that is nothing short of destructive to Ohio families."
Releases also went out in the Virginia districts of Tom Perriello and Rick Boucher. John McCain won both of their districts in 2008. In separate statements, Spain said Boucher "sold out Southwest Virginia's middle class" because of the coal jobs some project will be lost, and Perriello showed an "utter lack of concern" for middle class families in his majority rural district.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching 60-second radio ads to run during drive-time in the districts of seven Republicans who voted against the supplemental appropriations bill, which among other things funds the wars through September. The House agreed to the conference report June 16 on a 226-202 roll call vote; the Senate approved it two days later.
Those targeted are: Ken Calvert (CA), Charlie Dent (PA), Jim Gerlach (PA), Dan Lungren (CA), Mike McCaul (TX), Lee Terry (NE) and Joe Wilson (SC).
"Republicans never hesitated to criticize those who voted against the previous supplemental bills that included funding for the troops, but now that they are trying to score political points, Republicans' votes have conveniently changed," DCCC executive director Jon Vogel said in a statement released Friday. "So this Independence Day, we are going district by district to hold these hypocritical Republicans accountable."



