WI-07

Sean Duffy Gets First Opponent Of 2012 Cycle

Eric Kleefeld | April 25, 2011, 3:50PM

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI)

Freshman Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI), who picked up a seat for the Republicans in the 2010 wave, now has his first declared challenger, with former Wisconsin state Sen. Pat Kreitlow launching his campaign.

Kreitlow was elected to the state Senate in the Democratic wave of 2006, after a news broadcasting career in western Wisconsin, defeating a Republican incumbent. He then lost his race for re-election in 2010.

Duffy was elected to Wisconsin's 7th District in 2010, after having served as a district attorney (and earlier starring on MTV's The Real World), winning the seat that Democratic Rep. David Obey had held for over 40 years until his retirement.

Recently, Duffy was the subject of high profile embarrassment when he publicly stated at a local event that he was "struggling" on his Congressional salary of $174,000 per year. The local Republicans then attempted to pull the video from the Internet -- which then led to Duffy's office complaining about TPM's surviving excerpt, saying it was selectively edited. Eventually, Duffy admitted that his words were "poorly chosen."

IA-04

Christie Vilsack Launches Exploratory House Bid Against Steve King

Eric Kleefeld | April 20, 2011, 1:09PM

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack (D)

Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, the wife of former governor and current Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, has announced that she is officially exploring a run for Congress -- against the Republican loose cannon Rep. Steve King.

The Des Moines Register reports:

"It's important to listen to Iowa families about the issues they want addressed in Congress," Christie Vilsack said in a statement. "Hearing directly from citizens about their concerns and ideas is very important to me. Too often in campaigns, it's the other way around."

Her "Christie Vilsack for Iowa's 4th Congressional District" website, with a V logo, invites people to give her a headstart on fundraising "as I consider running."

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House '12

Iowa GOPer Latham To Move Districts And Oppose Dem Boswell -- Avoiding Primary With Steve King

Eric Kleefeld | April 15, 2011, 1:56PM

Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA) and Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA)

Iowa's partially non-partisan redistricting process has now resulted in some musical chairs, as the state adjusts to being reduced from five House seats to four. And in the latest development, Republican Rep. Tom Latham has announced he is moving across the new lines into the district of Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell, challenging him in the general election -- and avoiding a Republican primary with Tea Partying Congressman Steve King.

The Des Moines Register reports:

Latham, who now lives in Ames in Iowa's 4th Congressional District, would have resided in Iowa's in the same district as Rep. Steve King, a Kiron Republican, under new political boundaries approved Thursday by the Iowa Legislature. His move to the new 3rd District - which covers southwest Iowa - from Des Moines to Council Bluffs, avoids an intra-party primary battle between two GOP incumbents.

Latham sent a letter today to friends and supporters announcing he will move to the 3rd District, saying, "I have never let map boundaries block the great honor I have felt in representing the interests of all Iowans in the United States Congress."

So which one of them won't have a chair when the music stops in November 2012?

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House '12

Freshman GOPer Cravaack Buys Part Of Bachmann's Fundraising List

Eric Kleefeld | April 14, 2011, 6:16PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN)

Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN), a freshman Republican who won a very surprising upset victory over longtime Democratic Rep. Jim Oberstar in the 2010 GOP wave, is now tapping a potentially lucrative source of cash in his effort to hold on to his historically Democratic district: The fundraising list of none other than fellow Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.

The Star Tribune reports:

Cravaack's first Federal Election Commission report this year shows that Cravaack purchased a direct-mail list from Rep. Michele Bachmann, the fundraising star and potential 2012 candidate who founded the House Tea Party caucus.

Cravaack's office confirmed obtaining part of Bachmann's mailing list, which he paid $441 for, FEC records show. Cravaack's filing also lists an in-kind contribution from Bachmann's committee to Cravaack for a direct-mail list at the same price.

Bachmann is, of course, a very prolific fundraiser, with a wide following among the Tea Party movement base -- having brought in over $2 million in the past quarter. The question for Cravaack, of course, is whether Bachmann's following can transfer to bring in the bucks for him over the long haul.