GOP Floods Field With Candidates

As politicos across the country gear up for the 2010 election season, the Republican Party has been looking for fresh faces to challenge Democratic incumbents while attempting to bridge the gap between major-party leaders and grassroots “tea party” activists. The result is candidates such as Stephen Fincher, a Tennessee farmer with no political background who has so far managed to raise $300,000 for his campaign. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-TN) described the GOP as having “candidates popping up all over the place” as the party takes a page from the 2008 Democratic playbook, which targeted Democrats in all districts, including seemingly untouchable incumbents such as Barbara Boxer. Despite their enthusiasm, Republicans are trailing Democrats in both fundraising and poll numbers, with just $4.3 million in the National Republican Congressional Committee account at the end of November. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee currently has a 4-1 financial advantage over the NRCC.