Their mission: Go after swing-district Ds in their own back yard
By Alan K. Ota Congressional Quarterly
If you live in one of the fractious swing districts the ones that went for John McCain for president but sent a Democrat to Congress Republicans on a road trip may be heading your way. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas chairman of the
National Republican Congressional Committee is getting ready to send four teams of GOP House members on cross-country forays.Their mission: Go after the swing-district Democrats in their own back yards.
We will be going around the country to talk to people in districts that have previously had a Republican in Congress and where there is a good base" Sessions said. We will be in those areas trying to not only give a message of what their member is doing but also seeking and supporting candidates that we have."
Sessions said the GOP hopes to expand his partys 178 House seats by attacking centrists for siding with Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California whose favorability ratings nationally have been mixed with one survey finding her polling to be comparable to that former Vice President Dick Cheney.
The Speaker is on the ballot this next time" Sessions said.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California the chief deputy whip said he would be on one of the GOP road-show teams with Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia.
Were going to be literally in the car on the road traveling around the country" McCarthy said. Were meeting with potential candidates with political people in the districts."
Likely topics for the traveling teams will be the Democrats health legislation and the House-passed climate-change bill (HR 2454).
Republicans may find themselves bumping into familiar faces.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida vice chairwoman of the
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said she and other senior Democrats would make rounds during the House recess too.
Our members are going to be fully prepared" Schultz said.
