Dem allies zero in on House GOP

The Hill

As many as 24 Democratic-allied outside interest groups have launched attacks or waged other political activity in 82 congressional districts represented by House Republicans, according to data compiled the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

The breadth of this mobilization against House Republican candidates appears to surpass by far any similar effort being waged against Democratic House candidates or Senate candidates.

The data show how much Democrats are benefiting from the work of outside allies and how energized labor, environmental and liberal advocacy groups are about the prospect of taking back the House.

The research also reveals why many House Republicans may be unhappy about voting on lobbying reform legislation that does not include restrictions on the soft-money groups known as 527s. The groups, named after the section of the tax code that governs them, can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on political races.

The activity of liberal-leaning outside groups is concentrated in several states. Groups are active in eight districts in New York, nine in Ohio and nine in Pennsylvania. Left-leaning groups have also been active in four Florida districts and four New Jersey districts.

Second-term Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), who is facing a tough race, said his constituents have been barraged with phone calls attacking him but wasn’t sure what the political impact would be. He said groups have also taken out some newspaper ads.

“We haven’t taken a poll, but we’ll find out,” he said.

Mark Campbell, an aide to Gerlach’s campaign, shared a list of liberal groups that have intervened in the race so far: MoveOn.org, Working Families Win, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), ACORN, American Family Voices, the American Election Committee, Campaign for a Cleaner Congress and Voices for Working Families.

AFSCME bought about $50,000 worth of cable television ads, Working Families Win organized a protest on the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in front of Gerlach’s district office and American Family Voices organized calls criticizing the lawmaker, Campbell said........