40 U.S. House Targets, None From Virginia

By: BrianDStraw
Published On: 12/20/2007 10:30:37 PM

In an interview with Roll Call, Representative Chris Van Hollen, Chair of the DCCC, released a list of the races that Democrats plan to target. The targeted districts all fit into one or more of these criteria:

* The demographics of the district benefit the Democratic candidate.

* The Democratic presidential nominee won the district in 2004.

* The Democratic presidential nominee performed reasonably well in the district in 2004, and the 2008 Democratic House candidate is particularly strong.

* The Republican incumbent running for re-election in the district is damaged -- either ethically or in some other manner.

Not one Virginia race made the list. I just don't see why Tom Davis and Frank Wolf aren't being targeted. Hopefully, given that they have over $30 million cash on hand they will spread the love beyond those districts.

List below the jump.

AK-AL: Don Young
AZ-01: Open
AZ-03: John Shadegg
CA-04: John Doolittle
CA-26: David Dreier
CA-50: Brian Bilbray
CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave
CT-04: Chris Shays
FL-08: Ric Keller
FL-09: Gus Bilirakis
FL-13: Vern Buchanan
FL-24: Tom Feeney
ID-01: Bill Sali
IL-10: Mark Kirk
IL-11: Open
IL-14: Open
MI-07: Tim Walberg
MI-09: Joe Knollenberg
MN-03: Open
MN-06: Michele Bachmann
MO-06: Sam Graves
NV-03: Jon Porter
NJ-03: Open
NJ-07: Open
NM-01: Open
NM-02: Open
NY-13: Vito Fossella
NY-25: Jim Walsh
NY-26: Tom Reynolds
NY-29: Randy Kuhl
NC-08: Robin Hayes
OH-01: Steve Chabot
OH-02: Jean Schmidt
OH-14: Steve LaTourette
OH-15: Open
OH-16: Open
PA-03: Phil English
WA-08: Dave Reichert
WV-02: Sheley Moore Capito
WY-AL: Open

Comments



If the Tom Davis retirement rumors pan out (Randy Klear - 12/22/2007 12:17:59 AM)
expect this list to grow by one.  He is a serious obstacle even for the likes of Leslie Byrne, but with an open seat, the dynamics change tremendously.

Frank Wolf is pretty safe for now.  The 10th CD, lest we forget, voted 55% for Bush in 2004, and both Tim Kaine and Jim Webb barely made 50% there. Changing demographics and improved organization aside, the 10th is still a long way from "benefit[ing] the Democratic candidate".

As for the rest of the state, the 2nd CD looks tantalizingly close; Allen only got 51% there, Kaine won (though less than a majority), and Thelma Drake is a much weaker incumbent than Wolf.  It will take a Judy Feder-quality candidate to win there, though, and there doesn't appear to be one on the horizon right now.