Both Senatorial Campaign Committees Off Track for Start of 2014

Without explosive fundraising in November and December, both national party Senatorial campaign committees will start 2014 with smaller war chests than at the start of the 2012 election year.

At the start of 2012, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had $12.2 million cash on hand and no debts. The report filed this week, covering through the end of October, shows they have $11.1 million cash on hand, but $6.25 million in debts.

At the start of 2012, the National Republican Senatorial Committee had $11.5 million cash on hand and no debts. The report filed this week, covering through the end of October, shows they have $5 million cash on hand and no debts.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reported receipts of $4,873,125 and disbursements of $3,830,676 in October, leaving $11,073,955 cash on hand as of 10/31, with debts of $6.25 million. During the month the committee repaid $1.25 million in loans from Bank of America. Selected donors giving $32,400 each included Anthony Hsieh (CEO, Zappos.com, NV); Leslie M. Saionitz (philanthropist, FL); Jerome Simon (hedge fund manager, CA); and Joshua L. Steiner (co-president, Quadrangle Group LLC, NY); among others.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee reported receipts of $3,804,342 and disbursements of $2,214,774 in October, leaving $5,007,573 cash on hand as of 10/31, and no debts. Selected donors giving $32,400 each included A. James Clark (CEO, Clark Enterprises, MD); Raymond Debbane (CEO, Invus Group LLC, CT); Norman P. McClelland (executive, Shamrock Foods Company, AZ); W. Kent McClelland (CEO, Shamrock Foods Company, AZ); and L. Francis Rooney III (CEO, Rooney Holdings, FL); among others.

Via: Roll Call

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Dems try going on offense: It’s Obamacare versus ‘Cruz Care’

I

n 2012, the meta-pundit narrative turned on whether the election would be a choice between two visions for the future (as Dems hoped) or a referendum on the anemic Obama status quo (as Republicans predicted). The outcome surprised observers who thought the weight of the bad economy made the latter inevitable.

Now Democrats are going to attempt a repeat performance around Obamacare, at a time when the law’s travails have triggered widespread predictions that it, too, will serve as the focus of a referendum, just as the Obama economy was supposed to last year.

I’m told the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is set to launch a new campaign designed to refocus the debate on the Republican position on health care, which Dems will widely label as ”Cruz Care.”

With Ted Cruz set to roll out his own health plan — one that will probably look like the usual grab bag of GOP reform ideas, which just aren’t a reform alternative to Obamacare – Dems plan to tar GOP Senate candidates across the country with it, by hitting them as proponents of “Cruz Care.” Many GOP candidates also embraced Cruz’s Obamacare-driven government shutdown.

Via: Washington Post

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Obama Blames ‘the Balkanization of the Media’

MMMM!! IT'S THE MEDIA'S FAULT????

(CNSNews.com) - At a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee event in Philadelphia on Thursday night, President Barack Obama ended his speech by bemoaning what he called “a level of polarization that seems unique”—citing as one cause to blame for this phenomenon “the Balkanization of the media.”

“Obviously, this year and over the last three years, we’ve seen a level of polarization that seems unique,” said Obama. “But the truth is, is that as you travel around the country, the country--ordinary folks--aren’t as polarized as Washington would make us think.”

“Thank God,” said someone in the audience.

“Thank God, yes,” said Obama. “That’s important. But the only way that we advance the issues that people around the country care about is if we sync up the spirit and the goodness and the decency of the American people with our politics. And there is a whole bunch of stuff that mitigates against that: gerrymandering, and the way campaigns are financed, and super PACs, and the Balkanization of the media. All of that pushes us apart.”

Via: CNS News

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DSCC Spreads Wealth to State Parties for 2014

Senate Democrats have quietly started implementing their plan to keep the majority by transferring funds to state parties with top races in 2014.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has begun making monthly transfers to these organizations to help construct first-rate, on-the-ground affiliates ahead of the midterms.

Democrats must defend a large number of seats — nine of the cycle’s 11 most competitive Senate races — to retain their majority. Democratic incumbents are running in five of these races, providing the party a prime opportunity to coordinate at the state level early in the cycle.

Battle-tested communications operatives have already been sent to state parties in Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina — homes of some of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats seeking re-election. Including those three states — but not counting the Massachusetts special election earlier this year — the DSCC has transferred a total of $84,000 to state parties as of Sept. 30, according to figures compiled by Political MoneyLine.

Via: Roll Call

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