NRCC adds 32 to Young Guns program

The committee is also bumping nine candidates to the second level of the program, which is devoted to preparing challengers and open-seat candidates for the 2010 election.

The announcements come two weeks after third-quarter financial reports went public. Those reports showed many Republican candidates asserting themselves in newly targeted races, and the large addition to the Young Guns program reflects the new map.

{mosads}New to the program are Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, who recently moved from Colorado’s Senate race to challenge Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.); three candidates for Rep. Mark Kirk’s (R-Ill.) open seat; former Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.); and two potential challengers to Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.).

In addition to Walberg, repeat candidates on the list also include Rep. Ron Klein’s (D-Fla.) challenger, Allen West, and Rep. Gerry Connolly’s (D-Va.) challenger, Keith Fimian.

Also, nine candidates moved from the program’s first step, “on the radar,” to its second step, “contender.” They are: Rep. Bobby Bright’s (D-Ala.) challenger Martha Roby, Rep. Betsy Markey’s (D-Colo.) challenger Cory Gardner; Florida’s 12th district open-seat candidate Dennis Ross; Rep. Walt Minnick’s (D-Idaho) challenger Vaughn Ward; Rep. Frank Kratovil’s (D-Md.) challenger Andy Harris; Rep. Carol Shea-Porter’s (D-N.H.) challenger Frank Guinta; Rep. Harry Teague’s (D-N.M.) challenger former Rep. Steve Pearce; Rep. Steve Driehaus’s (D-Ohio) challenger former Rep. Steve Chabot; and Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy’s (D-Ohio) challenger Steve Stivers.

If these candidates advance beyond that step, they will have reached the third and final stage of the program, “young guns.”

Four of the 13 candidates who were initially named to the program three months ago have not advanced beyond the first stage. They are: Rep. Loretta Sanchez’s (D-Calif.) challenger Van Tran; Rep. Debbie Halvorson’s (D-Ill.) challenger Adam Kinzinger; Hawaii’s 1st district open-seat candidate Charles Djou; and Rep. Martin Heinrich’s (D-N.M.) challenger Jon Barela.

All but Djou fell behind in the money chase in the third quarter.

Two candidates added to the “on the radar” stage later on — California 10th district special election candidate David Harmer and Rep. John Hall (D-N.Y.) challenger Greg Ball — also stayed at that stage.

Ball’s new primary opponent, Nan Hayworth, was among the 32 new candidates added to the “on the radar” stage.

The full list:

Jesse Kelly (Ariz.-08)
Tim Griffin (Ark.-02)
Justin Bernier (Conn.-05)
Ryan Frazier (Colo.-07)
Allen West (Fla.-22)
Beth Coulson (Ill.-10)
Dick Green (Ill.-10)
Bob Dold (Ill.-10)
Ethan Hastert (Ill.-14)
Todd Young (Ind.-09)
Alan Nunnelee (Miss.-01)
Tim Walberg (Mich.-07)
Ed Martin (Mo.-03)
Vickie Hartzler (Mo.-04)
Bill Stouffer (Mo.-04)
Lou Huddleston (N.C.-08)
Randy Altschuler (N.Y.-01)
Michael Allegretti (N.Y.-13)
Nan Hayworth (N.Y.-19)
Tom Reed (N.Y.-29)
Bob Gibbs (Ohio-18)
Jim Renacci (Ohio-16)
Rob Cornilles (Ore.-01)
Steven Welch (Pa.-06)
Pat Meehan (Pa.-07)
Dan Kapanke (Wis.-03)
Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.-04)
Stephen Fincher (Tenn.-08)
Scott Rigell (Va.-02)
Keith Fimian (Va.-11)
Sean Duffy (Wis.-07)
Reid Ribble (Wis.-08)