MIDTERM MADNESS

Dems Prepare Severe Campaign Triage

In effort to retain House.

With limited resources ahead of the November midterm elections, the Democratic Party is prepared to make some tough choices to stem the Republican tide—even if it means pulling support from a few of its own. Over the next two weeks, Democratic leaders will evaluate which of its candidates stand a real chance of holding onto their House seats in order to redirect funds to protect as many as two dozen Democratic congressmen, in order to save a slim majority for the party. Those who have not gained ground in their races will be ultimately cut loose, including several candidates running for one of the 55 seats Democrats gained from Republicans in the last two election cycles. “We are going to have to win these races one by one,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. This week, House speaker Nancy Pelosi has also urged Democrats with safe seats to use some of the $218 million from their campaign accounts to help those in more precarious races.