Both major parties are getting ready for congressional elections in Florida next year and, this week, Republicans and Democrats scoped out their targets.
On Monday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) launched a media campaign against 15 Republican incumbents, including two in Florida, on the cost of higher education. The DCCC purchased ads in the University of South Florida (USF) student paper against U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., and ads in the University of Miami and Florida International University (FIU) papers targeting U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla.
The Republicans made a clear statement of their priorities by casting votes that would make it more expensive for young people to attend college priorities that stand in stark contrast to Democrats, insisted U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luj, D-N.M., the chairman of DCCC. We will be using the first week of Congresss April recess to remind voters just how out of touch Republicans are on college affordability.
But Republicans are pushing back. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is looking to pick up a seat in Florida as U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., runs for the U.S. Senate next year.
At the end of last week, the NRCC pointed to Democrats having problems recruiting candidates to run for Murphys seat as state Rep. Dave Kerner, D-Lake Worth, opted to run for Palm Beach County Commission and several Democrats were surprised to see Palm Beach County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor launch a congressional bid.
It should be no surprise that top Democratic recruits are saying no thanks. Defending the failed policies of Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama in a district carried by Mitt Romney is no picnic, insisted Chris Pack, a spokesman for the NRCC, toward the end of last week.
The NRCC is also keeping up attacks on U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., in recent days, hitting her on the budget and possibly joining Murphy in the Senate race.
Curbelo is a top target for Democrats in 2016 but he got some help from the NRCC this week.
On Monday, with the first quarter of the year winding down, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., the chairman of the NRCC, sent out a fundraising email on Curbelos behalf.
In November, Americans across the country stood up and let their voices be heard, Walden wrote. In South Florida, you chose the principled leadership of Carlos Curbelo over the failed policies of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and the liberal Democrats in Washington. Now, its time to do it again.
While Carlos and our House majority are fighting for common-sense small government solutions in Congress, the Democrats are desperately searching for a top challenger in 2016, Walden added. At the NRCC, we are working tirelessly for Carlos. Well do our part to ensure hes ready.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
