Psst! Wanna know who the 10 most vulnerable GOP Congressmen are?

[Freddie Stubbs]

GOP's 10 most at-risk

By Hans Nichols

House Republican leaders last night notified their 10 most vulnerable lawmakers that they will be the lucky beneficiaries of this year’s first ROMP (Retain Our Majority Program) fundraiser.

The list provides an early preview of who GOP leaders think need the most help from their fellow lawmakers. It also lets potential Democratic challengers know that any run will be expensive.

The 10 members are Reps. Bob Beauprez (Colo.), Mike Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Marilyn Musgrave (Colo.), Anne Northup (Ky.), Jon Porter (Nev.), Dave Reichert (Wash.), Rick Renzi (Ariz.), Rob Simmons (Conn.) and Mike Sodrel (Ind.). Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), who narrowly won his 2004 race, is not on the list.

ROMP was designed by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) in 1999 to funnel money from legislators hailing from safe seats to those who represent more marginal districts. Typically, a ROMP beneficiary receives upwards of $100,000 from each event and rarely spends less than $2 million defending his or her seat.

more: http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/021705/gop.html

[coloradodem2005]

1. Two of them are from Colorado.

Yes Mr. Beauprez, the only reason you won last time was because of Thomas' involvment with Columbine.

Yes Ms. Musgrave, you had a much smaller margin of victory this time because you are trying to push the FMA through.

[ClassWarrior]

9. It looks like it's time for you to rock.

:yourock:

Never Give Up.

[calimary]

14. OOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhh, Miz Bedroom Busybody Musgrave

is on the list! GOOD. She deserves to be. It would be a public service to get her outta there. They do not come any more sanctimonious than she does.

[coloradodem2005]

22. Sadly, if it wasn't for the anti-Musgrave ads that...

...Coloradoans for Plain Talk ran against her this last time, Matsunaka might have beaten her.

[DaveinMD]

2. Interesting that Shays isn't on the list

I guess he's too liberal for them.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Probably his seniority is more of a factor

The other vulnerable ones have only served a few terms. Shays has been around for a while and has the experience and connections necessary to raise money.

[JerseygirlCT]

4. He's there - you missed it

[DaveinMD]

5. okay

thanks

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Sorry, just posting fast --

didn't mean to come off testy!

[DaveinMD]

23. you didn't

no problem

[calimary]

15. Throw him in and one more and maybe you have a new Dean Dozen.

Let's get to work, guys!

[Johnyawl]

7. YES!!! My congressman is on the list!

Dave Reichert (Wash.), He was just elected to his first term, and we're really hoping to unseat him.

[ClassWarrior]

10. You go, Johny...

B-)

NGU.

[Grown2Hate]

8. Actually, it says that Shays is NOT on the list. Just for clarification.

n/t

[alfredo]

11. Ann Northrup is

bush's hand puppet.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. I'm surprised Frist isn't

But he could be losing his seat next year to either mayor Corker or Ford jr. I so hope that happens! :bounce: It would be nice to have a democrat who's a senator of mine.

[alfredo]

19. I would love to see Frist returned

to his beloved private sector.

[quaoar]

12. Sounds like we are already behind on this

We need to get movin.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has not yet determined which Democrats will be included in the “Frontline” program, the Democrats’ carbon copy of ROMP.

“We’re still talking to members with Congressman Thompson ,” said Greg Speed, spokesman for the DCCC. Earlier this year, DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) tapped Thompson to quarterback the Democrats’ Frontline effort.

But Republicans clearly want to boost their vulnerable members’ first-quarter campaign-finance reporting numbers before those figures are due March 31. To that end, DeLay will host the cycle’s inaugural ROMP fundraiser March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. There could be as many as four ROMPs this year, with those later in the cycle focusing more on promising challengers.

[borg5575]

20. You are right on.

Just like Howard Dean said, he hates the Republicans and everything they stand for but he admires their organizational skills, and I agree with him.

We need to get going on this front and identify which of our incumbents need help and which Rethugs might be beatable, and we need to do it yesterday. Time is a wasting. We MUST retake the House in 2006 and there's no time like the present to get started on it.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

13. Melissa Hart not on the list? Rumors of Chris Heinz run against her.

If Heinz doesn't try for Santorum's seat, there is chatter that he may run against Melissa Hart in PA. Hart was one of the 'secret, silent votes' to protect DeLay by the Republican House members a couple of months ago.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. She has won easily each time that she has ran

Other that Heinz, it doesn't look like there are many Democrats that can give her a competative race.

[FreedomAngel82]

18. That would be neat

to have Heinz there. :) I hope he does win! :kick:

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. He would have to move back to PA

As he currently lives in NY.

[izzybeans]

24. Probably the worst of the worst

John Hostetler rep (Indiana) should be on that list. He keeps barely "winning". His race was another that flip-flopped from the early precinct closings to the end of the night. It really looked like his competitor was going to win. Then sleep happens and you wake up with the same fundamentalist handjack you had the day before. He could easily go down if the rural democrats were given more support (as would be the case in many states). All they need is a little backing. the dem running against him was way underfunded and had little to no DNC personel support. This is why I back Dean for chair. his priority is to not concede anything. Red states are winnable. The Dems are just wholely absent when it comes to supporting the Blue hearted citizen's that live there.

[dorktv]

25. Where is JD and Trent Franks?

Randy nearly beat Franks.