State By State

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) held a fundraiser Wednesday night celebrating Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), the longest-serving GOP Speaker in the history of the House. The event raised $500,000.
Hastert, who left the GOP leadership after the Democrats took the majority following the 2006 elections, is retiring from Congress.

More than 30 members of Congress signed on to serve as co-chairmen for the event.

-Aaron Blake

Florida

A pair of vulnerable freshman Democrats from this hurricane-prone state flexed their legislative muscle on Wednesday, getting a bill through committee that they say would increase access to and availability of homeowners’ insurance.

{mosads}A bill authored by Reps. Ron Klein and Tim Mahoney aims to stabilize the catastrophe insurance market by including private industries and helping states manage risk. States would be able to combine their catastrophe risk with other states, and the bill allows them to take out federal loans when they are impacted by natural disasters.

The small-government, private market aspects of the bill could be of particular help to Mahoney with voters in his heavily conservative district.

“Residents in Florida are facing an economic crisis in large part due to homeowners’ inability to find affordable homeowners’ insurance,” Mahoney said. “This bipartisan solution to the homeowners’ insurance crises will put an end to government bailouts, which unfairly tax all Americans.”

-A.B.

 Colorado

Democrat Angie Paccione on Wednesday gave up her effort to take on Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R) in the 4th district, saying she wants to devote more time to a new job.

Paccione, a former state representative, lost to Musgrave in 2006 by less than three points. But she had primary competition this year from a former aide to Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), Betsy Markey, as well as from Eric Eidsness, who ran in 2006 as a Reform Party candidate.

“I could spend the next 14 months campaigning for the opportunity to make a difference, or I could spend the next 14 months actually making a difference in the lives of others,” Paccione said in a statement.

-Mike Soraghan

Kentucky

Despite registering approval ratings under 50 percent in several recent polls, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appears a safe bet for reelection as of now. But liberal groups are eyeing the prospect of a strong GOP challenger — perhaps from Larry Forgy, the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 1995. And the influential anti-tax group Club for Growth signaled Wednesday that it might play a role in a primary fight against McConnell.

The Club remarked in a statement Wednesday that the Republican leader “is looking more and more like his counterpart across the aisle, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)” on spending issues.

McConnell has backed all four of the appropriations bills that the Senate has considered this year, three of which face White House veto threats.

“If Republicans want to convince taxpayers that they are fiscally responsible, they are going to have to start backing up their words with some votes,” said Club President Pat Toomey, a former House Republican.

-Elana Schor

Maryland

Centrist Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R), who is facing a primary challenge from the right this February, is urging conservative icon and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) to enter the presidential fray.

Gilchrest sent Gingrich a letter this week, and his campaign issued a press release Wednesday.

“Whether or not Newt could ultimately win the nomination, I think we need his serious and thoughtful voice in the current debate,” Gilchrest said in the release. Gilchrest has said he is unlikely to endorse anyone until Gingrich makes a final decision.

The campaign of Gilchrest’s primary challenger, state Sen. Andy Harris, suggested Gilchrest is playing politics.
Harris spokesman Chris Meekins said: “Newt Gingrich stands up and defends Republican values; Wayne Gilchrest runs from them. … The differences could not be clearer. One has to wonder why Gilchrest is doing this.”

Gilchrest responded sarcastically: “They can say anything they want. At least he’s an identifiable icon. Everybody says I’m not a real Republican, so I want to see this icon who I’m supposed to genuflect to.”

-A.B.

Montana

Former state senator and 2006 Senate candidate Bob Keenan was in Washington on Wednesday to meet with GOP leaders while he considers a bid against Sen. Max Baucus (D) in 2008.

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher said Keenan was set to meet with McConnell and NRSC Chairman John Ensign (R-Nev.).

Keenan ran an under-funded primary campaign against Sen. Conrad Burns (R) last year, losing 72-22. He claimed he was doing it for Burns’s own good by getting him ready for a strong Democratic challenge, but Burns fell to Jon Tester (D) in the general election.

Keenan is also weighing a gubernatorial bid against Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D), who is up in 2008 as well.
Former state House Majority Leader Michael Lange (R) is already running for the seat.

-A.B.