The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says the recent high volume of anti-Rep. Dave Reichert ads and press releases they’ve put out isn’t directly related to anticipation of a Senate run from Rep. Reichert (R-WA,8). They say they’re just holding Reichert accountable for the two major votes Congress has taken so far this session—votes on the stimulus legislation and the 2010 budget proposal.
The timing of the ads coincides both with former Microsoft executive Suzan DelBene’s announcement that she’s running for Reichert’s 8th district congressional seat and the GOP’s vetting of possible Senate candidates.
“This isn’t a matter of timing, it’s about holding Reichert accountable for voting against the stimulus and then taking credit for its benefits,” said DCCC spokesman Andy Stone. “He’s being hypocritical, and we wanted to point that out.”
Stone also said the DCCC wanted to draw attention to the middle class tax cuts, a “major piece of the budget legislation,” because of the number of Reichert’s constituents that would have been effected by them. Stone wouldn’t comment on whether the DCCC was anticipating a Senate run from Reichert.
The DCCC began their offensive against Reichert in February, when they put him on a list of Congressmembers targeted for their votes against the economic stimulus package—all of the Congressmembers on the list represent districts vulnerable to an overthrow by a Democratic Party challenger.
“The residents of Washington’s 8th District can thank Representative Dave Reichert for voting no on President Obama’s economic recovery package,” reads a short blurb on the DCCC’s Web site, which advises 8th district residents that Reichert’s vote meant he didn’t support a project to fix the Bellevue sewer system, a project that would apparently create 19 jobs.
In the last couple of weeks, the DCCC has also targeted Reichert for voting against the 2010 budget proposal, and specifically provisions to increase veterans healthcare funding and tax cuts for the middle class.
Rep. Reichert’s spokesperson was not available for a comment.
Stone said he wasn’t sure when the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) would take over for the DCCC in running PR against Reichert, if Reichert were to announce a Senate campaign.
The DSCC, as well as the Republican campaign committees, couldn’t be reached for comment this afternoon.
