Democrats desperate to hang onto control of the U.S. Congress could be on the verge of cutting loose from numerous “flagging” campaigns and targeting their financial resources on more competitive races.
Democrats have a $20 million cash advantage over Republicans, but faced with the prospect of a “wave” election in November and the need to defend dozens of seats, they are currently scrambling to separate lost causes from legitimate contenders.
From The New York Times:
In the next two weeks, Democratic leaders will review new polls and other data that show whether vulnerable incumbents have a path to victory. If not, the party is poised to redirect money to concentrate on trying to protect up to two dozen lawmakers who appear to be in the strongest position to fend off their challengers.
“We are going to have to win these races one by one,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), conceding that the party would ultimately cut loose members who had not gained ground.
Whose campaign could be on the Dems’ chopping block? According to the story …
Representatives John M. Spratt Jr. of South Carolina, chairman of the Budget Committee, and Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, who is seeking a 10th term, are among the senior Democrats who have appeared to gain little ground in the summer months in the toxic political environment.
Previously, protecting Spratt’s seat had been designated a top priority by the DCCC, although that could be changing – and with good reason(s).
Aside from the fact that it’s a terrible year for incumbents – and particularly Democratic incumbents – Spratt has held onto his seat for the past 28 years by identifying himself as a “moderate” Democrat (even a “deficit hawk”). Obviously that is no longer the case, as a recent analysis by The Washington Post shows that Spratt has voted with the Democratic leadership in Congress 98.1 percent of the time during the 111th Congress.
That tally includes key votes in favor of President Barack Obama’s failed bureaucratic bailout, a “cap and trade” energy tax increase and Obama’s socialized medicine plan (which Spratt personally shepherded through his Budget Committee instead of passing a budget, as he is required to do by law).
Also Spratt (who acknowledged earlier this year that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease) doesn’t appear to be particularly motivated to win a fifteenth term – which many attribute to the building strength of the Republican wave. Even if Spratt were to defeat fiscally conservative S.C. Sen. Mick Mulvaney and hold onto his seat, he would likely lose his budget committee chairmanship due to big Republican gains elsewhere.
From a tactical level, Spratt’s race has Democrat strategists flummoxed. For example, they cannot play the Social Security scare tactics that they are currently using against Republican candidates in other districts because Spratt has previously gone on the record supporting private accounts.
So what do they run on? That’s the problem …
Meanwhile, Spratt’s campaign (which has a very limited margin of error) has been tremendously undisciplined, with a spokesman’s recent remark about Osama bin Laden forcing Spratt to issue a public apology.
Finally, with South Carolina’s GOP-controlled state legislature set to redraw Congressional districts in advance of the 2012 election, Spratt’s seat is likely gone anyway in two years – which could further sap Democrats’ motivation to fight for it.
Anyway … we’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything definitive about the Democratic national game plan …
By Politics Rocks September 6, 2010 at 11:22 am
Spratt was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and raised in York, South Carolina, where he still resides. After graduating from York High School, he earned a BA degree in history from Davidson College in 1964. He served as student body president at both schools. Spratt then earned an MA degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University (Corpus Christi College) in 1966 while studying on a Marshall Scholarship, and an LLB degree from Yale Law School in 1969.
What is it exactly that makes you think Mulvabey is smarter and will do better for America?
By eb September 6, 2010 at 12:07 pm
PR,
Congratulations to John Spratt. He has accumulated an educational alphabet after his name. No doubt the man has has a head full of class room training with a brief case full of educational credentials.
Too bad he laid aside his “political common sense” over the last few years.
That wasn’t too “smart” of him.
By Beau September 6, 2010 at 12:23 pm
“…Spratt has held onto his seat for the past 28 years…”
TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS ???
TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS ???
I call that a “career,” and suppose then that I would call Spratt a “career politician.”
The innate power of incumbency — sort of like the power of gravity — has given Spratt an edge over challengers. Now the invisible power (money) is being withdrawn, as the Times article mentions.
Wonderful.
Let’s have some new blood in the seat.
Mister Politics Rocks: Mulvabey’s SC-gov blog says:
g. Georgetown Univ., B.S.F.S. Intl. Commerce and Fin., 1989; Univ. of N.C.-Chapel Hill, Law, 1992; Harvard Bus. School, OPM, 2006.
I don’t know the guy from Adam’s house cat but he seems as “smart” as Spratt.
Since they have similar “smarts,” maybe you should consider other factors, like “character,” “imagination,” “leadership,” “enthusiasm,” and even “stamina,” given Mr. Spratt’s poor health and old age.
By No Way! September 6, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Again, he is going home and they know not to waste money on him!
By Politics Rocks September 6, 2010 at 12:39 pm
What issues did he vote for\against over the last few years that your smart (ass) disagrees with?
By ML September 6, 2010 at 12:43 pm
I’d like to see Spratt win because he is extremely useful to the district, to South Carolina, and to the US military. Mulvaney can never support the troops as effectively and isn’t militarily inclined or informed.
Making the gesture of chucking Spratt two years early just to give the finger to Obama isn’t a moneymaker, South Carolina desperately (and I do mean desperately) needs to lock in as much military infrastructure as possible. That infrastructure has sustained SC in recession after recession since WWII. We need it now, we’ll need it again, and temporary squabbles shouldn’t be a distraction.
States _compete_ for military basing, and we are obviously in for a long, dark, “Hollow Force” drawdown/reset after we (mostly) exit Iraq and hand off A-stan. Nothing new, it’s happened before more than once, but much of the public don’t do military history and a lot of them weren’t even born when the Cold War ended.
Spratt helped pull the military (especially Shaw AFB) out of the Hollow Force era and has reinforced Active, Guard, and Reserve since then. It’s interesting that a Democrat has so effectively helped prepare for war with Islamists, but Spratt has done that and done it well.
By Wowser September 6, 2010 at 1:07 pm
To go from Spratt to Mulvaney!?!?! The fifth would certainly see a change – but probably not the one they would want or expect.
By CNSYD September 6, 2010 at 1:11 pm
There are two ways to look at the Dems shifting money. One is what FITS jumped on. Spratt is going to lose so send the money elsewhere. FITS refuses to acknowledge the other possiblity, that they believe Spratt will win and are shifting money to help other Dems. I know, FITS, you allege the “polls” show Spratt losing. Didn’t the “polls” say that Dewey defeated Truman? Another free ad for Little Mulvaney.
By Bill Timee September 6, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Say what you will about the worth of educational pedigrees, but Spratt’s is infinitely more impressive than is Mulvaney’s.
By eggaday September 6, 2010 at 1:53 pm
neither candidate interests me
By countryboy September 6, 2010 at 2:28 pm
John Spratt, like most career politicians, apparently is an opportunist. He at least claimed to be a fiscal conservative for many years, yet in recent years his voting record has been exactly the opposite of conservative. If he is still “conservative” in his heart, then logically he just doesn’t have the guts to vote his heart. It is either one or the other. He is now either a liberal, or he isn’t liberal but doesn’t have the backbone to vote conservative. Either way, I can no longer vote for the him. And any person who claims to be conservative yet would vote for Spratt again, is, like Spratt, a gutless puppet.
By CaptMiller September 6, 2010 at 2:46 pm
CNSYD,
No way they think he is a sure thing- no one does; however, I think he idea that Pelosi etc… are going to let Mr. Spratt hang high and dry is rediculous. Many of us would like to see them pull funding for his effort but I think given the implications for the speaker from San Francisco’s leadership that is a non starter. Spratt will have all he needs and then some to try and sell himself and his 98.1% (sources WP and yesterdays Charlotte Observer) voting Pelosi- Obama record to folks in the 5th.
Special thanks to Mr. Spratt and Wayne Wingate (mr they would vote of OBL if he ran as a republican) for NOT PERMITTING camera’s in the debate tomorrow. Looks like you’ll not have a chance to actually listen to “little mulvaney” and learn from him what he believes.
By No Name September 6, 2010 at 3:31 pm
The very definition of a Dixiecrat.
His long term seniority allows him to trade votes for the good of the State and the State economy. Thus he should be allowed to stay in.
Can you fucking fools not see the lunacy of this …it is not about cooperating with the mafia because you are protected…..it is about destroying the mafia so you can be free.
All these fucks existed on the theorem of being able to print money and run deficits that other investors….be they private….or other countries….like China….would monetize.
But that is all over now.
And the lying shits called economists and their enablers the CRATS….went along because it gave then income\security and power.
Shit has hit the fan now and old helicopter Ben is now staring at deflationary chaos.
Meanwhile the politicians…. including Nuckie……keep trying to sell the fact that they have some type of solution to all this….when in fact they do not.
If Splatt is as smart as he is supposed to be he will run for the hills before the Tar gets heated and the feathers are gathered.
By countryboy September 6, 2010 at 4:04 pm
I see yellow dog democrats * are trotting out the same old tired sh*t in touting Spratt – His education and his support for Shaw AFB. Well where is the bragging about his voting record in recent years? Don’t see them doing that do we?
* (those who would vote for a yellow dog if it was running as a democrat)
By Sicko September 6, 2010 at 5:32 pm
(Bal)sack Spratt. Fuck Haley.
By MZStitch September 6, 2010 at 8:07 pm
I personally am bailing on John Spratt because he no longer represents me! I was saddened to read the news this morning that Obama wants to spent another 50 billion on infrastructure, money that we don’t have, and that won’t help the economy for at least another 18 months. John Spratt will likely vote yes for this spending, as he has voted yes to everything else Nancy Pelosi tells him too.
I would like a congressman that represents his district instead of the democratic party. He has lost his conservative beliefs, and our country is in sad shape because of this.
By BadNewsMulvaney September 7, 2010 at 8:16 am
This is the same song and dance we hear every year. Spratt will win, though it will be close. Mulvaney will be the closest challenger Spratt likely has ever had, but not based on his on record, but just due to the anti-incumbency wave. I do like how in every article FITS puts out Parkinson’s is mentioned. Real quality work Sic Will.
P.S. Please step up your reporting game. Your articles have really slipped since your “inappropriate contact” revelation.
By Nymphradora September 7, 2010 at 11:12 am
Nikki cast an Enchantment Spell on Sic Willie. Really knocked him for a loop.
By Joe September 7, 2010 at 12:24 pm
And now, Spratt has excluded cameras from his debate with Mulvaney.
http://www.midlandsconnect.com/news/story.aspx?id=507353
Nice move there Congressman. What’s next – election by secret ballot?
Two years ago, Dems all about “transparency” and “openness” and every other cliche’ they could come up with. Now they want cameras and the public shut out of everything they do.
Amazing.
By /b/ September 7, 2010 at 2:38 pm
“it is not about cooperating with the mafia because you are protected…..it is about destroying the mafia so you can be free.”
Since when does the Republican mafia represent “freedom” any more than the Dems?
By ML September 7, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Having cameras at the debates merely makes them a protest venue.
The public who attend the debate have “open access”, but no opponents of either candidate would be swayed by the debate in any event. What Mulvaney says is no more and no less concealed than what Spratt says.
The lines are already drawn, with only the swing voters in play.
Swing voters can attend the debate and find out if they are curious, but no one on this forum (self included) is a swing voter.
“Nice move there Congressman. What’s next – election by secret ballot?”
Elections are already by “secret ballot”. That’s why they have curtains on voting booths.
By Joe September 7, 2010 at 11:51 pm
“Having cameras at the debates merely makes them a protest venue.
The public who attend the debate have “open access”, but no opponents of either candidate would be swayed by the debate in any event. What Mulvaney says is no more and no less concealed than what Spratt says. The lines are already drawn, with only the swing voters in play.”
I’m sure the “swing voters” who will NOT be able to get in and NOT be able to see it (thanks to Spratt) would wholeheartedly agree with you…
By boo September 26, 2010 at 7:20 am
Enjoy your last few days in office Spratt. You are FIRED Nov. 2nd.