Item #1 (H/T – Allahpundit) – The Hill reports on a very grim conversation with National Republican Senatorial Committee chair John Ensign. Selected lowlights:
– On the heels of not getting anybody for Mark Pryor’s seat in Arkansas, the NRSC had wealthy potential challengers in New Jersey and South Dakota balk.
– About half of the 49 existing Senators (which presumably includes the 5 retirements) are well behind in fundraising, with the incumbent Dems whose seats are up this year raising $1.2 million more than the incumbent Pubbies up for re-election.
– Related to that, the NRSC has less than $15 million in cash on hand, compared to the Dem counterpart’s $30 million.
– The money kicker; despite the RNC having a lot more cash on hand than the DNC, the RNC isn’t expected to help out any.
– The Virginia seat currently held by John Warner, one of those retiring, will almost certainly go to the ‘Rats.
– The only ‘Rat seat with “top-level” recruit with a realistic shot of winning is in Louisiana (seat currently held by Mary Landrieu), with the NRSC touting a long-shot in Massachusetts.
I guess the only question is, will the ‘Rats get to 60, or close enough, to not get rid of the filibuster?
Item #2 (H/T – see-dubya in the comments section of that thread, or you could look at the post before this one for Shoebox’s headline contest) – The Washington Times’ Fishwrap reports the National Republican Campaign Committee discovered its former treasurer filed fraudulent financial audits between 2001 and 2006. According to the House Republican campaign arm, Christopher J. Ward transfered several hundred thousand dollars without authorization from the NRCC to outside committees, and then transfered money from there to what appeared to be his personal and business bank accounts.
Boy, is that ever “great” timing. Of course, since the NRCC is in the business of protecting RepublicRATs like Tom Petri from even primary challenges like one being explored by Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz (H/T – Brad V. at Try to Focus), maybe the NRCC would be better if it were defunded.
Revisions/extensions (10:59 pm 3/13/2008) – I guess I should mention the NRSC sent over a fundraising letter today. Since see-dub wants to see the reply, I’ll dig it out of the trash, open it up, and craft a reply. Of course, since it is almost 11 pm, I’ll have to toss it over while I sleep.
R&E part 2 (11:39 pm 3/13/2008) – I don’t know what I’m still doing up, but see-dub says, “Give directly to the candidates, not the RNC/NRSC/NRCC".
