From the House Race Hotline for Monday, July 14, 2008

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE

Home, Home On The Rangel

Mon. Jul 14, 2008


Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY 15) responded 7/11 to a NYT report "that he has four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem" at a time when NYC "is experiencing a chronic shortage of low-and-moderate-income housing," saying he "does not 'see anything unfair'" about the arrangement. In a 7/11 presser, Rangel "chastised the newspaper," saying it is "none of the New York Times' business where I decide to live," and that he "was proud to have lived in two locations for his entire life."

The NYT reported Rangel, whose "net worth" is between $566K and $1.2M, "pays about half the market rate for three adjacent units at the luxury Lenox Terrace complex, while the fourth apartment is several floors below." Housing experts said while it "is not illegal to acquire more than one rent-stabilized apartment," they know "of no one else with four of them." The company that owns Lenox Terrace, the "family-owned" Olnick Organization, "declined to comment" on why they "allowed Rangel to lease four rent-stabilized apartments (AP, 7/11).

The New York Times editorializes: "Rent-stabilized apartments in New York City are supposed to be a way for the city to retain residents with moderate incomes - teachers and police officers, for example. These apartments are very hard to get and even harder to keep." Now comes Rangel, "one of the nation's most powerful politicians," who "managed to get four of these" apartments, meaning "three or even four renters missed out in favor of a congressman."

The "stark unfairness here should be obvious," yet Rangel "argues" three of them "are legal," while he has said he "will 'look into' the use of one apartment as an office, a violation of housing rules that would get most tenants thrown out almost immediately." Rangel said he "has been responsible for millions of affordable rental units," a "good deed," but one that "should not entitle him to a cut-rate apartment" (7/12).

Staff Penalties

In what will mark "the second time in as many months that lobbyists have opened their wallets at the request of a senior Democratic staffer," Speaker Pelosi's (CA-08) CoS John Lawrence will host a DCCC fundraiser later 7/08, "for which lobbyists are asked to write personal checks worth $100 or $250." Dems and GOPers "have been offering up staffers as fundraising bait" with increasing regularity, but the events can put those involved "in an uncomfortable position," with staffers "who are usually careful" to keep their conversations "limited to legislative matters" forced "to engage over the give-and-take of campaign money." Watchdog Fred Wertheimer: "This appears to be yet another variation of how the lobbyist, special interest PAC-money system works in Washington. And it's yet another reminder of why it is essential to fundamentally reform the way Congressional elections are financed" (Newmeyerm Roll Call, 7/14).

Counter-Strike

Roll Call's Rothenberg writes: "Could Democrats pitch another shut-out this year? It's possible, though unlikely." Dems "won a handful of reliably" GOP seats in '06 "that they will struggle to retain." So "where are the best GOP chances?" Should "only one" Dem seat switch control, "it's likely to be" Rep. Nick Lampson's (D-TX 22)'s. With ex-Cornyn aide Pete Olson (R) "generally regarded as" a "stronger general election candidate" than ex-Rep. Shelly Sekula-Gibbs (R), Lampson, who "has built a much less liberal record than he did during his first service in the House," is "the most vulnerable House" Dem.

Likewise, Rep. Don Cazayoux (D-LA 06) "owes his seat" to '08 special election nominee/'96 SEN nominee Woody Jenkins (R), who was "unelectable." Cazayoux retains "a reasonable chance" of victory, but should the GOP nominate state Sen. Bill Cassidy (R), Cazayoux "will have his hands full." Finally, Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS 02) is facing a rematch from ex-Rep. Jim Ryun (R), guaranteeing "a serious contest, while Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA 11), who "isn't an ideal fit for his" GOP-leaning CD, will face ex-CA assemblyman Dean Andal (R), who "looks to be a serious threat" (7/14).

First, Do No Harman

Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA 36) will hold a DC fundraiser this p.m. for 15 Dem challengers. The beneficiaries are:

AL-05: State Sen. Parker Griffith (D)
AZ-03: Atty Bob Lord (D)
CA-04: '06 nominee Charlie Brown (D)
FL-13: '04 candidate/'06 nominee Christine Jennings (D)
FL-18: businesswoman Annette Taddeo (D)
FL-21: Ex-Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez (D)
FL-24: Ex-state Rep. Susanne Kosmas (D)
IL-06: Iraq war vet/ex-IL Deputy Homeland Sec. Dir. Jill Morgenthaler (D)
IL-18: Ex-ag broadcaster Colleen Callahan (D)
MI-09: Ex-MI lottery commis. Gary Peters (D)
NV-02: '06 nominee/ex-NV Dem Chair Jill Derby (D)
NC-10: Daniel Johnson
PA-15: '01,'05 Bethlehem Mayoral candidate Sam Bennett (D)
VA-02: Diplomat Glenn Nye (D)
VA-11: Fairfax Co. Board of Supers. Chair Gerry Connolly (D) (Isenstadt, PolitickerCA.com, 7/11).

Thanks To Obama, Some GOPers Won't Be Staying Put-Nam

Barack Obama's strength "worries" Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL 12). He doesn't think Obama can win FL, but he thinks Obama's "ability to turn out" African-Americans and other supporters "could make a real difference" in some CDs, "particularly" in the South. Putnam: "I think you'll see House members who won their last race by 60-65 percent lose because of the turnout model that Obama brings" (Smith, St. Petersburg Times' "Buzz" blog, 7/13).

But while Obama "could have long coattails this fall," not every Dem "is going to want to grab on to them. Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL 16) "hasn't endorsed him for president and isn't going to the" convo, "where he has a superdelegate vote," while a spokesperson for Rep. Travis Childers (D-MS 01) said "hasn't had time to be concerned with presidential politics." DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen (D-MD 08) "said he is telling many of the party's freshmen that 'their constituents come first,' and that they should spend time in their districts instead of" at the convo.

"The opposite is happening with" GOPers in Dem-leaning or "closely divided districts," where they see John McCain "as an asset because of his appeal to independents." Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV 03) "will attend" the St. Paul convo "even though he isn't a delegate, as will Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MN 07), "the sole Republican House freshman." NRCC chair Tom Cole (R-OK 04): "(McCain) has a demonstrated appeal to the middle. He helps us change our image and recasts us as a maverick party interested in change" (Kronholz, Wall Street Journal, 7/14).

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