Major GOP group drops $3.1M into trio of House races

A major Republican outside group is dropping $3.1 million into three Democratic-held districts, as the GOP seeks to expand its already sizable majority this fall.

{mosads}The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group affiliated with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), is targeting Democratic Reps. Brad Schneider (Ill.), Julia Brownley (Calif.) and Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.) with its latest round of spending.

It will spend $1 million on a week of broadcast TV later this month targeting Schneider, who represents a suburban Chicago district that typically leans Democratic but has become a top target for Republicans this cycle with former Rep. Bob Dold (R) running again. The group is also spending $1.6 million targeting Shea-Porter and $500,000 aimed at Brownley, both investments that might be used for mail, TV and digital advertising campaigns.

The new investment in Schneider’s district comes the day after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced it bolstered its spending there, as part of a broader shuffling of resources meant to “fortify” vulnerable incumbents and double down on top pickup opportunities.

The Conservative Leadership Fund Communications Director Dan Conston characterized the shuffling of resources as Democrats “retreating” and said the group’s new expenditures are meant to keep Democrats on defense.

“Democrats retreating is proof positive that they’re terrified about November and President Obama’s policies being on the ballot. These key expenditures will allow us to be on offense deep in Democrat-held territory against weak, vulnerable incumbents,” he said in a statement.

Democratic strategists have recently expressed concerns over the fact that many major Democratic groups, who poured millions into House races last cycle to narrow the GOP’s majority, have refocused their resources on the Senate battle this election cycle. The shift in focus, some Democrats are warning, could seriously cost the party seats this fall, during a year when Republicans are already favored to expand their 17-seat majority due to a tough political climate and President Obama’s unpopularity.