In 1998, House Democrats lacked the money to promote strong candidates, but top Democratic strategists said Wednesday their much larger war chest this year is the previously missing element that will allow them to recapture the majority this November.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Executive Director David Plouffe said the committee would spend money early to blunt Republican attacks and take the offensive against GOP candidates.
"We're not going to allow a single Republican incumbent to mask their record," Plouffe vowed.
He said Democratic challengers such as attorney Mike Taylor could have defeated Rep. Robin Hayes, R- N.C., if the DCCC had had more money to spend in 1998. As of June 30, FEC reports show the DCCC had $37.4 million on hand while the National Republican Congressional Committee had $22.2 million.
Plouffe and other DCCC officials served notice they would not talk about when, where or to what extent they would finance ads on behalf of their candidates. But they did confirm reports of six districts where the DCCC has spent money, much of it soft money-those of Democratic Reps. Michael Forbes in New York and Rush Holt in New Jersey, who face tight races; those of GOP Reps. Ernest Fletcher in Kentucky, and James Rogan and Steve Kuykendall of California, all top Democratic targets; and that of New Jersey GOP Rep. Bob Franks, who running for the Senate.
A DCCC spokesman said ads run against Rogan, who is defending his seat against state Sen. Adam Schiff, would begin to reduce Rogan's warchest. "Rogan has been forced to respond with ads paid for by himself," the spokesman said.
DCCC Political Director Karin Johansen said record spending- financed by strong individual candidate fundraising, full DCCC coffers and independent expenditures-would give key congressional races their own identity, and blunt the impact of the presidential race.
Johansen said she is watching 70 districts, but said about 50 are competitive-and only 15 are now held by Democrats. Although Johansen and Plouffe said they expect Vice President Gore and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, to wage a strong campaign against GOP presidential nominee George W. Bush, they said they do not need coattails to win back the House.
Plouffe said the committee also is optimistic about defending Democratic incumbents the GOP is targeting, including Forbes, Holt and Reps. Joe Hoeffel of Pennsylvania and James Maloney of Connecticut.
"The terrain is very favorable for us," Plouffe said. "These are suburban districts where we have done very well recently."
Hoeffel said Wednesday his GOP opponent, state Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, has yet to engage him in the race and has declined invitations to debate, while he has made visible his efforts on deficit reduction, education, Social Security and a Medicare prescription drug benefit.
"He's not been very aggressive in promoting his message," Hoeffel said.
NEXT STORY: GAO calls for proactive Internet security