Former Rep. Sue Kelly takes over as treasurer of centrist House GOP PAC

Sue Kelly, the centrist House Republican from New York who lost reelection last year, has taken over as treasurer of the Tuesday Group PAC, replacing a campaign operative whose firm had received thousands of dollars from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

The PAC raises money for the caucus of about 40 centrist House Republicans who used to meet every Tuesday in the Capitol, but now sometimes meet on Wednesdays.

{mosads}Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), the co-chairman of the caucus, said that prior to a July 31 article in The Hill, he was not aware that former treasurer Christopher J. Ward had a professional link to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. However, Kirk said that had no impact on the decision to hire Kelly.

Ward’s firm, Political Compliance Services Inc., received nearly $230,000 for services from the controversial political group, which derailed the 2004 presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) by attacking his record of service in Vietnam.

Kirk said that he wanted the group’s PAC to have a manager who had ties to centrist Republicans on the Hill and who had a stature to match his ambitions for the fundraising committee.

“It’s very important the Tuesday Group PAC be of and from the Tuesday Group,” said Kirk. “That’s why we put Sue Kelly in charge.”

“I thought that as this organization comes together we should put together management that reflects the stature the PAC should have,” said Kirk.

Centrist lawmakers formed the PAC this spring to bolster their political strength after the ravaging of their ranks in the 2006 election, which gave Democrats control of Congress and left Republicans only one House seat in New England. The PAC has raised $77,000 since the beginning of May.

Centrist Republican Reps. Jim Leach (Iowa), Charlie Bass (N.H.), Nancy Johnson (Conn.), Rob Simmons (Conn.), Joe Schwarz (Mich.) and Michael Fitzpatrick (Pa.) all lost reelection last year.

Kelly, who lost by a few percentage points to Rep. John Hall (D), founder of the ’70s pop band Orleans, said she did not have enough money for her race.

 Kelly said in an interview that she wants to ensure that her former centrist colleagues have the financial resources they need in 2008.

“I want to raise as much as we possibly can,” she said. “My interest is in incumbents.”

House Democrats consider several centrist Republicans the most vulnerable lawmakers facing reelection this cycle.
Democrats are targeting Kirk and fellow Tuesday Group co-chairman Charlie Dent (Pa.). Kirk represents a district that then-Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (Mass.) won in 2004. He and Dent each won reelection last year with only 53 percent of the vote.

Democrats have also set their sights on Reps. Heather Wilson (N.M.), James Walsh (N.Y.) and Jim Gerlach (Pa.), who each won reelection with just over 50 percent of the vote in districts Kerry won.  

Kelly is the second former House Republican centrist to take over a political fundraising role for the 2008 election. Bass, who lost his seat in a shocking upset to Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.), has since become president of the Republican Main Street Partnership, a fundraising organization that represents centrist Republicans in both chambers of Congress.