NRCC

WASHINGTON -House Republicans seem to have found one bright spot in an election cycle even they concede is shaping up to be grim: the battle for the seat of U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke), the northeastern Pennsylvania Democrat who is in a life-or-death struggle to win a 13th term in Congress.

"According to our polling, we're still up outside the margin of error and I don't think money can save him at this point," former National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) said today.

At a National Press Club luncheon also featuring sitting Democratic Congressional Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Davis conceded that House Republicans faced long odds, and went so far as to predict that the party's losses on Election Day would be in the double-digits. But he kept returning to Kanjorski.

WASHINGTON – After weeks of watching its candidates barraged by its Democratic counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee has started up its independent expenditure advertising campaign. The committee is airing an ad beginning today in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, where U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) is battling to defend his seat from a challenge by Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper.

The committee did not immediately release details on the size of the buy for the 30-second ad, which takes Dahlkemper to task on energy and gas prices.

“Kathy Dahlkemper has some wacky ideas,” an announcer says. “Take energy. Kathy Dahlkemper opposes suspending the federal gas tax, which would help consumers right now. And that would help lower your cost at the pump. Dahlkemper’s wacky solution: she said we should make personal sacrifices, such as walking places or riding a bike. Hmmm, why don’t we try using dog sleds, too?”

WASHINGTON - The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is also out with a new television ad targeting U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie), a seven-term incumbent facing a difficult battle for re-election against Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper.

“We already know Congressman Phil English sided with oil and gas interests, voting more than $2.6 billion in tax breaks,” an announcer says. “Now this: English voted for tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent, but voted to raid the social security trust fund, risking the retirement security of Pennslylvania seniors. Kathy Dahlkemper, she’ll stand up to the special inters, protect social security, and fight for us.”

The DCCC is spending $88,000 to air the 30-second ad on stations in the northwest Pennsylvania-area district. It is the committee’s second ad in the race.

WASHINGTON – The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is up with its first television advertisement today taking aim at Republican Chris Hackett.

At issue is Hackett’s tax payment history.

“We all make mistakes, it happens,” an announcer says at the outset of the 30-second spot. “But take Chris Hackett. Sure his businesses didn’t pay taxes once. Well twice…that three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine times. OK, nine times he’s had to be chased down for unpaid taxes. But look, he’s paid back taxes-once he was running for Congress. Mistakes happen. Let’s just make sure they don’t happen in this election.”

Hackett, a staffing company executive, is challenging 10th District incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Carney (D-Dimock Township), a first term Democrat. Republicans have argued that Carney’s record is out-of-step with the northeast Pennsylvania-area district, which has traditionally trended conservative.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Erie) acknowledged in an interview today the potentially ominous sign that the National Republican Congressional Committee had been conducting research in his district. But he suggested that the poll had a silver lining.

The NRCC’s early investment was widely seen as a sign that the seven-term Republican needed shoring up in his battle against Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper. In its initial ad reservations, the NRCC indicated it planned to spend close to $700,000 on English’s behalf. And financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission last week showed the committee spending over $10,000 in survey research in the northeast Pennsylvania-area 3rd Congressional District.

“Ominously, we saw also they had polled,” noted English. “I think they’re testing.”

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY): Observer PhotoWASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke) is set to be the beneficiary of a Sept. 24 fundraiser featuring Charlie Rangel, the embattled chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

The event, scheduled to take place at The Monocle restaurant on Capitol Hill, will help fill Kanjorski’s campaign coffers as he prepares to face off against Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta. Aides to Rangel and Kanjorski confirmed the event but did not provide any further details.

The fundraiser comes as Rangel, a nineteen-term congressman from New York City, is facing mounting questions over his finances.

Just today, Rangel announced in a press conference that he would be paying $5,000 in unpaid back taxes on a beach vacation home he owns in the Dominican Republic. Rangel is also facing questions about owning four rent-controlled New York City apartments at below-market rates and using congressional stationary to solicit funds for the construction of an academic center bearing his name. Rangel has asked the House ethics committee to probe all three actions, though he has declined to step down from his post on the Ways and Means Committee.

National Republicans, doubling down on their efforts to unseat U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Nanticoke), are set to unveil a second attack advertisement today targeting the veteran congressman.

The spot takes direct aim at Kanjorski for saying Democrats oversold their ability to end the war in Iraq during the 2006 midterm elections.

“Paul Kanjorski admits he is willing to stretch the facts when it suits his needs,” an announcer says in the 30-second spot.

“…(W)e sort of stretched the facts — and people ate it up," Kanjorksi is then shown saying.

“He’s already had to apologize for smearing Paul Kanjorski,” the announcer continues. “You just can’t believe Paul Kanjorski.”

Two Pa. Republicans are scheduled to address the Republican convention tonight.  The convention will be lead off by Auntie Anne's founder Anne Beiler.  Beiler will talk about small business and the American dream.  A few speakers later Renee Amoore will take the stage to also talk about the American dream.  

Tom Cole, the Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee will be in state on Wednesday to campaign for former Congresswomen Melissa Hart.  Cole and Hart will hold a joint press conference at the Ingomar Gulf gas station to discuss energy and energy exploration. 

The National Republican Congressional Committee is out with a television advertisement today taking aim at U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski (R-Nanticoke), the 12-term congressman who is in the fight of his political life this election cycle against Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta.

The ad takes aim at Kanjorski’s alleged ethical lapses, including his earmarking of $10 million to a company controlled by relatives. The ad begins with an August interview Kanjorski gave to CBS News in which he discussed the millions in federal earmarks he obtained to build the Kanjorski Center, an office building in Nanticoke.

“I don’t think the rules should have any attention paid to it because in the Congress we have our own rules,” Kanjorski is showed saying in the interview at the outset of the 30-second spot.