DCCC Taps Credit, Targets 7-10 New Races

Smelling blood, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is now targeting at least seven more GOP-controlled seats than they had had in their sights just last week -- we report in the latest Wave Watch.

Whether that's PR chatter or a real commitment of resources remains to be seen -- but they have recently tapped a big line of credit and the DNC is committing half of a $10 million loan for the House homestretch.

The committee, which recently tapped a $15 million credit line, has increased the number of races in which it is playing from 53 to more than 60, according to a DCCC spokesman.

Previous DCCC expenditures were aimed at thinning out the weaklings in the Republican herd. The latest round of funding is headed to races against GOP incumbents previously thought to be more secure.

New targets include West Virginia’s Shelly Moore Capito, South Carolina’s Henry Brown, the Wyoming House seat vacated by Barbara Cubin, Bill Sali in Idaho and the Diaz-Balart brothers in Florida.

On the flipside, the DCCC has been forced to play defense for a handful of endangered Democrats, including Kanjorski, Lampson, Jack Murtha In Pennsylvania and David Scott in Georgia.

Republican incumbents previously thought to be safe – including Texas Rep. Michael McCaul – are suddenly finding themselves with narrowing single-digit leads.

If McCaul continues to lose ground to Democrat Joe Doherty, the DCCC might throw resources into the race – and the committee is also “keeping a close eye” on another Texas Republican incumbent, Rep. John Culberson, according to a person familiar with the situation.