CQ TODAY PRINT EDITION
– POLITICS
May 21, 2008 – 5:51 p.m.
Boehner to Take More Active Role in House GOP Campaign Efforts
By Edward Epstein, CQ Staff
House Republican Leader John A. Boehner , reacting to unrest within his caucus over a string of three special election losses and tough prospects for November, on Wednesday named two members to oversee a “performance audit’’ of the party’s recent losing campaigns.
Thomas M. Davis III of Virginia, a former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), and Pat Tiberi of Ohio agreed to oversee the audit work.
Boehner’s office also said that Davis, who recently wrote a pessimistic memo about GOP chances in November, will head a separate NRCC advisory committee that Boehner has been putting together to work with the group’s current chairman, Tom Cole of Oklahoma.
Sources who attended the closed-door meeting of the House Republican Conference said Boehner also named Pete Sessions of Texas to head up a special fundraising effort for targeted races this fall. Given the party’s tough outlook for the fall, Sessions’ efforts may have to focus on protecting party incumbents rather than going after Democrats.
Behind in Fundraising
The NRCC is way behind its counterpart, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in cash on hand and in fundraising efforts.
The Republican group began the month with $6.7 million in the till, compared with $45.3 million for the DCCC.
Boehner said outside GOP consultants will actually perform the audit, while Davis and Tiberi will oversee them.
“There is a lot we can learn from those three races that will help us as we set ourselves up for the fall,’’ Boehner said after the meeting.
In Sessions, Boehner picked a longtime ally who was an early supporter of his campaign to become GOP floor leader in the 109th Congress.
Cole defeated Sessions and Phil English of Pennsylvania in a three-way race for NRCC chairman last year. GOP aides said Boehner had backed Sessions in that contest, although he did not actively campaign for him.
The minority leader also told his caucus that even though some state primaries are over, he and Cole will get more involved in the remaining ones by trying to head off divisive and potentially expensive primary fights for House nominations.
There are two ways to do that: by getting behind a candidate before a primary campaign begins in earnest to head off challengers, or by actively backing one candidate if a contest appears unavoidable. The sources said Boehner didn’t specify which method he and Cole will choose.
Boehner to Take More Active Role in House GOP Campaign Efforts
Cole has been under fire from House Republicans for the three special-election defeats.
The first was in March, when the party lost the Illinois 14th District seat of retired Speaker J. Dennis Hastert to Democrat Bill Foster . It continued this month with defeats in Louisiana’s 6th District and Mississippi’s 1st District — both once GOP bastions.
Boehner, who has had run-ins with Cole over fundraising and candidate recruitment, now expresses confidence in the NRCC chairman, who was elected by the full GOP Conference.
Boehner already has spoken with potential Republican candidates in the New York City district of Vito J. Fossella , the Republican who announced this week that he won’t seek re-election in November after getting arrested for drunk driving. That arrest led to disclosure that Fossella had fathered a daughter out of wedlock.
Jeb Hensarling of Texas has been named to head up fundraising for the party’s June 18 President’s Dinner, the big annual gala featuring President Bush. He said the House GOP goal is $7 million for the dinner and that fundraising is going well. “People understand the challenge and that we need unity, a powerful message and resources,” he said.
In Hensarling, Boehner has selected a veteran political operative who worked as executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee under his old boss, Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas (1985-2002), during the 1992 election cycle.
Hensarling said he gained experience in raising funds and running campaigns under adverse conditions in 1992, when he said Senate Republicans broke even in contested races while Bill Clinton won the presidency.
Hensarling chairs the Republican Study Committee, a powerful caucus of House conservatives whose members are trying to push party leaders into adopting a strongly conservative platform for November.
He said he supports Boehner’s latest steps. “What the leader has suggested are good, positive improvements,’’ he said.
Another member of the caucus described himself as underwhelmed. “It’s like putting lipstick on a pig,” a senior Republican said. “This will not solve the problems.”
Framing the Message
Hensarling said the party still needs a powerful message to fire up its base.
“To some extent, people overestimate the ability of one political committee in Washington to influence campaigns. We must show people Republicans will act as Republicans on the issue of fiscal discipline,’’ he said.
Boehner to Take More Active Role in House GOP Campaign Efforts
Boehner on Wednesday took the latest step in unveiling the House GOP’s election year platform when he and a group of members offered the energy plank of the “Change America Deserves” program.
In the short term, the GOP wants a gas tax holiday this summer, Boehner said. It touts legislation — pushed through Congress and reluctantly signed into law by Bush on May 19 (
The remaining ideas include many that have long been defeated in Congress, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off the shores of California and Florida. The Republicans also want to ease environmental and other reviews to promote construction of more domestic refineries, construction of new nuclear power plants, greater production of alternative fuels and stepped-up conservation.
They say Democrats are responsible for $4-a-gallon gasoline. “There is a roadblock to us getting American energy solutions for Americans,’’ said Rep. Marsha Blackburn , R-Tenn. “We are calling on Democrats to get that roadblock out of the way.’’
Alan K. Ota contributed to this story.
Comments
>>> RE: "In the short term, the GOP wants a gas tax holiday this summer..." At the Island Press blog, Terry Tamminen (policy consultant and adviser to the Governor of California, Canadian Premiers, and other state leaders on climate and energy policy) has some interesting items to say about the proposed "gas tax holiday," why higher gas/oil prices are not necessarily bad, and why we can reign in greenhouse gases by leaving things as they are: http://www.islandpress.org/blog/index.php
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