The attacks are already flying in Ohio's 15th congressional district and, oddly enough, they're about an issue on which some believe the candidates would agree -- in theory.
Former right-wing state Sen. Steve Stivers sent out an email to supporters earlier today, calling EMILY's List candidate Cong. Mary Jo Kilroy a "rubber stamp" and arguing against her opposition to the Stupak/Pitts Amendment. Here's the kicker, though: Stivers took serious heat from Republicans when he ran against Kilroy in 2008 for his mixed choice record.
Confused? So were we.
Apparently, now that Stivers is looking for a rematch, he's planning to move farther to the right to win over the Republican base.
Stivers isn't the only one leveling attacks at Kilroy, either; the national GOP also is taking aim at the freshman congresswoman, according to Politico.
Kilroy has been a leading advocate for health care reform, including sharing her own story about dealing with multiple sclerosis. And, in a district that's trending more and more Democratic -- even going for Barack Obama in 2008 -- we know she can pull out a win and continue working on behalf of Ohioans. She'll have a tough re-election battle ahead -- but we know how critical her voice is in Washington, and we couldn't be prouder to stand with her.
When the GOP runs out of ideas, it apparently relies on the tried and true tactics of preschoolers: tantrums.
As the House discussed rules of debate for today's health care talks, the Democratic women's caucus met with jeering, shouts, and predictable delay tactics when they addressed the floor. The women -- many of whom EMILY's List helped elect -- made their remarks while Republicans cried out objections for nearly 30 minutes.
Freshman Cong. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), listening to a barrage of objections, responded, "Do I not have the right to be able to continue my sentence without objections that are trying to censor my remarks here on the floor that I have a right to make as a member of this House?"
Calls for civilized behavior and orderly conduct went largely unnoticed by Republicans, who later referred to the legislation as the “freedom-killing, job-killing Democratic healthcare bill.”.
Of course, it's no surprise that Republicans are doing what they can to delay a vote, but interrupting proceedings and talking over their colleagues on the House floor? That's a show of real leadership and integrity, isn't it?
Check out some of the low-lights compiled by Think Progress:
We told you earlier about the NRCC's Young Guns program, which helps recruit and train GOPers in targeted open-seat and challenger races. And now we have news that the Young Guns are taking aim and increasing their numbers, adding 32 new GOP candidates to the program -- and using more gun analogies and references than ever!
Five EMILY's List incumbents were already matched up against Young Guns program participants -- and now, they're adding another. EMILY's List alum Cong. Gabrielle Giffords's (AZ-08) potential opponent, Jesse Kelly, has been added to the list. Recently endorsed candidate Julie Hamos (IL-10) now faces not just one, but three potential opponents enrolled in the program -- Beth Coulson, Bob Dold, and Dick Green.
We also learned that nine candidates have been elevated from the Young Guns' first step -- "on the radar" -- to the second "contender" level of the three-part program. New "contenders" include Cory Gardner, looking to run in CO-04 against Cong. Betsy Markey; Frank Guinta, a potential challenger for Cong. Carol Shea-Porter in NH-01; and Steve Stivers, who is hoping for a rematch against Cong. Mary Jo Kilroy in OH-15.
Other Young Guns facing EMILY's List incumbents include Van Tran in Cong. Loretta Sanchez's CA-47 district and Adam Kinzinger in recently endorsed Cong. Debbie Halvorson's IL-11 district. And in HI-01, EMILY’s List endorsed candidate Colleen Hanabusa's potential GOP opponent, Charles Djou, is also enrolled in the program.
Although the NRCC is certainly pulling out all the stops for these GOPers, there's no doubt this is far from the Republican'' complete list of targets for 2010 -- just one more reminder that we have to prepare now to protect and build on our majorities in Congress.
GOP House Whip Cong. Eric Cantor isn't just planning personal attacks anymore. Now, he's helping his GOP buddies bring in cash that could go to more large-scale attacks on the campaign front.
Cantor, who organized some of the most outrageous antics we've seen on the House floor, is now doling out money to GOP 2010 candidates. Two of Cantor's chosen recipients are in races involving EMILY's List candidates, Colleen Hanabusa and Ohio Cong. Mary Jo Kilroy.
Hanabusa, in Hawaii's first congressional district, is running to fill the open seat being vacated by Democratic Cong. Neil Abercrombie. Cantor's ERIC (Every Republican Is Crucial) PAC gave $2,500 to Charles Djou, a Honolulu city councilman aiming to put the seat in the Republican column.
And in Ohio's 15th district, the ERIC PAC gave $2,500 to Kilroy challenger Steve Stivers, who's looking for a rematch after losing in 2008. Kilroy's already faced down a Cantor attack on the floor of the House, and we have no doubt she can overcome any Cantor gifts to Stivers to win re-election. But this is a powerful reminder to us that Republicans are gearing up for 2010 -- and we don't have a minute to waste to help our candidates build their war chests.
The Democratic women of the Senate aren't the only ones stressing the importance of health care reform for women.
On the House side, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading the way, holding a press conference earlier this week with the Democratic Women's Working Group earlier this week.
Pelosi got right to the heart of the matter, focusing on current challenges some women face when trying to get insurance coverage: "Think of this, you have survived domestic violence and now you are discriminated in the insurance market because you have a pre-existing medical condition. Well, that will all be gone under this legislation."
Here's a clip:
EMILY's List alums Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Donna Edwards (MD-04), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), and Gwen Moore (WI-04) joined Pelosi at the conference, and each had powerful things to say about the need for reform.
Kilroy, whom EMILY's List members helped elect in 2008, spoke of her own multiple sclerosis diagnosis and current struggles facing women with chronic diseases. "The insurance industry tells us that because women are 2-3 times more likely to have multiple sclerosis, 10 times more likely to have breast cancer, because 55,000 more women than men have strokes every year, they can rate insurance based on gender. And the decisions that they are making are not only unfair or immoral. Frankly, they're bad public policy."
Mary Jo Kilroy, a first-term Congresswoman from Ohio, is among the women EMILY’s List has helped elect to the U.S. House of Representatives. Kilroy is a leading health care advocate in Congress, and we are proud of the work she is doing to ensure that all Americans have access to high quality, affordable care.
A son whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer told me she couldn't receive the treatment she needs to survive because her insurance company deemed it "experimental." A cardiologist tells me about a patient he lost because the patient couldn't afford the medications to stay healthy after surgery. A dad and small business owner shows me the bills and knows bankruptcy is around the corner for his family because out-of-pocket costs for medical care are well over $20,000 per year even with health insurance.
These are just some of the stories that I have received through my website and during my listening tour on health care. On the campaign trail, I spoke about the change this country needed. Now that I am in Congress, I believe strongly I was sent here to bring about that change. These men and woman, seniors and students, small business owners and farmers have only bolstered my belief: We need quality health care that all Americans can afford.
Health care that doesn't discriminate based on a "pre-existing condition"; health care that is accessible whether you have a job or not and provides you with a choice; and health care that prevents us from getting sick, saving us thousands of dollars.
I hope you have a chance to review my health care website and take action. Write your member of Congress. Tell your story. Help us (especially the women in Congress) make the change we were sent here to bring.
Only days ago we told you that the NRCC was picking their top races for 2010, and yesterday's POLITICO report sheds more light on exactly whom Republicans will target.
Nine of the seats in Republicans' sights are currently held by EMILY's List incumbents, including six freshman members we helped elect last year: Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Betsy Markey (CO-04), Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24), Debbie Halvorson (IL-11), Dina Titus (NV-03), and Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15). Three longer serving EMILY's List candidates, Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (SD-AL), and Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), are also being targeted.
According to an NRCC release, GOPers are hoping to pick up a total of 70 districts across the country, ranging from vulnerable new members who were elected in the 2006 or 2008 cycles to more experienced representatives who haven't had competitive races in recent years.
And there's no doubt Republicans are putting politics before progress when it comes to making a name for themselves in 2010:
House Republicans also appear confident that difficult votes on health care and energy legislation will put battle-tested members from conservative districts in trouble.
For EMILY's List candidates, Republican attacks are going to make voter outreach and supporter efforts more crucial than ever.
The GOP is gearing up for showdowns in 2010, and they're already picking their top races.
The NRCC's "Young Guns" program -- designed to help GOPers in open-seat and challenger races -- debuted yesterday featuring 13 candidates. Seven of those races will likely pit "On the Radar" candidates (those in the first stage of the "Young Gun" program) against women candidates, including five incumbent EMILY's List candidates: Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Betsy Markey (CO-04), Debbie Halvorson (IL-11), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), and Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15). The committee plans to train 80 candidates this cycle to compete in top races.
In addition to unveiling the "Young Guns" initiative, NRCC Chairman Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-32) announced committee endorsements for two of the program's current candidates. In one of those races, challenger Adam Kinzinger will take on Rep. Debbie Halvorson, a freshman EMILY's List helped elect last cycle.
The GOP isn't wasting any time plotting for 2010 -- and top on their list of priorities is taking down freshman members of Congress in moderate or conservative-leaning districts, including women we've helped elect.
Six of the women EMILY's List helped elect last year are being targeted in RNC ads that call White House health care reform plans a "dangerous experiment" -- Debbie Halvorson (IL-11), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24), Betsy Markey (CO-04), and Dina Titus (NV-03). Also under attack are more senior EMILY's List members of Congress, Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-08), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL).
The so-called "ad blitz" will be aired in 33 states nationwide.
The former state senator announced today he's in for a rematch with newly elected Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy in Ohio's 15th congressional district. The 2008 showdown, which was one of the last called in the country, came down to a difference of fewer than 2,400 votes.
Stivers, who has said he believes lower voter turnout will help his 2010 race, is already attacking Kilroy. There's no doubt this will be one of 2010's most closely watched races, and with Kilroy already making a name for herself in the House, Stivers will have his work cut out for him.
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