DCCC In New Hampshire-- More Help For The Conservative Kuster And Less For The Progressive Shea-Porter

I got another email from "Nancy Pelosi" (read: the DCCC) this morning on behalf of New Hampshire conservative New Dem Ann Kuster. She's in the D+3 district that Obama won with 54% in 2012, not in the district next door that has a PVI of R+1 and which Obama only won with 50%. That's the district Carol Shea-Porter has. Kuster, who ran as a grassroots populist, sold out to Big Business the second she got to Congress, quitting the Congressional Progressive Caucus and joining the Wall Street owned and operated New Dems. Shea-Porter, on the other hand, is a portrait of integrity and a rare example of genuine virtue in Congress. So, of course the DCCC is putting their resources behind Kuster instead of Shea-Porter. "One of the most competitive races in the country is happening in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, right now," wrote "Pelosi." That's the Kuster district.

The latest polling shows both Democrats leading their crazy Republican opponents-- Shea-Porter narrowly, Kuster handily, reflections of the partisan makeup of the two districts. The WMUR poll released Wednesday shows that when leaners are included, Kuster is ahead 53 to 30%.

The unpopularity of both candidates make the race for the 2nd District seat a volatile one. Currently, 46% of likely voters in the 2nd District say they would vote for Kuster if the election were held today, 28% would vote for Garcia, 1% would vote for someone else and 24% are undecided. However, when undecided voters are asked which candidate they lean toward supporting, 53% say they would vote for Kuster, 30% say they would vote for Garcia, 1% would vote for someone else, and 16% remain undecided.

They released a poll for NH-01 that same day and it is much tighter, Carol Shea-Porter ahead of Tea Party extremist and former Congressman Frank Guinta, 44 to 40% (including leaners).

Guinta and Shea-Porter will face each other for the third straight time. Guinta defeated then incumbent Shea-Porter in 2010 while Shea-Porter won the seat back from Guinta in 2012. If the congressional election were held today, 39% of likely 1st District likely voters would vote for Shea-Porter, 36% would vote for Guinta, 1% would vote for someone else and 24% are undecided. When undecided voters are asked which candidate they lean toward supporting, 44% would vote for Shea-Porter, 40% would vote for Guinta, 1% would vote for someone else, and 15% remain undecided. While both candidates receive most support from members of their party (Shea-Porter leads 88%-4% among Democrats and Guinta leads 72%-10% among Republicans), they are deadlocked among Independents with 37% favoring Shea-Porter and 36% favoring Guinta.

Kuster, with typically sleazy New Dem backing, has raised $3,314,902 compared to $954,720 for Garcia. Going into the final days, Kuster had $846,487 and Garcia had $200,001 (as of October 15). The DCCC spent $704,662 on Kuster this week, bringing the total to $3,438,937 and their allied House Majority PAC spent another $303,868 this week, bringing their total to $605,668.

Meanwhile, the grassroots oriented Shea-Porter raised $1,491,761 in total and has $120,872 for the final sprint, while Guinta raised $1,007,751 and has $381,535 cash-on-hand. This week the DCCC spent $509,961 on Shea-Porter, bringing their total to $2,263,009 and the House Majority PAC spent $102,376 this week, bringing their total to $219,039. By every measurement, Steve Israel has favored the more conservative, less needy Kuster against the progressive Shea-Porter who is in far more need of help.

Yesterday the Concord Monitor endorsed Shea-Porter and Kuster, writing that they "have proven themselves to be voices of reason and diplomacy in a House too often dominated by extreme positions and an unwillingness to compromise. Their challengers, Frank Guinta and Marilinda Garcia, respectively, would only add to the tone of negativity and obstruction that already consumes Washington."

Guinta has taken a page from the Scott Brown playbook and hammered Shea-Porter as being a rubber stamp who’s voted with party leadership “95 percent of the time.” A recent TV spot labels him as a New Hampshire independent voice, even though PolitiFact determined Guinta’s congressional voting record is even more along party lines than that of Shea-Porter.

Shea-Porter has indeed shown an independent streak, and it hasn’t always been when the cameras were rolling. She was among the first Democrats to call for resignations following the bungled health care rollout. Shea-Porter showed her willingness to stand apart from her party during that February White House meeting, which was reported in the Wall Street Journal. She’s also been a vocal member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, one of the few places where bipartisan legislation can actually get accomplished in the current environment.

Shea-Porter, along with Kuster, worked with the White House, federal officials and the state government to ensure New Hampshire residents had options beyond Anthem in the 2015 health care exchange. In just a couple of weeks, New Hampshire residents can begin to search through 50-plus plans from five carriers. In addition to increased options, it’s looking like some New Hampshire residents may actually be able to save on their health coverage next year, a point both Guinta and Garcia refuse to acknowledge as they continue to push for a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.