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July 18, 2008 — National Democrats Aid Louisiana Primary Candidate

In unusual lock-step with their Republican counterpart, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has abandoned its earlier policy of staying out of contested primaries. Through its “Red to Blue” program, the DCCC has provided financial aid to at least five Democratic candidates who have opposition in the primary. One of these is in the South, in Louisiana’s 4^th District, where the DCCC is backing Caddo Parish (Shreveport) District Attorney Paul Carmouche (D). Carmouche, however, is not yet the nominee, but faces opposition -- albeit weak -- from two former Democratic contenders. If Carmouche wins the September 6 primary as expected, he will be in a strong position to win this open seat being vacated by ten-term US Rep. Jim McCrery (R), which would be a pickup for the Democrats. The DCCC could have faced a similar situation in the 6^th District (Baton Rouge) where it’s behind freshman US Rep. Don Cazayoux’s (D). But state Sen. Michael Jackson (D) decided to run as an independent in the General Election, rather than in the primary against Cazayoux, thus freeing the DCCC of any pressure to stay out of the race.

Cohen, Tinker Split Black Caucus Support

Freshman US Rep. Steve Cohen (D), a white man who represents Tennessee’s 60% black 9^th District (Memphis), faces a tough August 7 primary against African-American labor lawyer Nikki Tinker. In the 2006 twelve-candidate primary, Cohen won with a plurality of 31%; Tinker ran second with 25%. This year, however, Tinker is one of only two prominent black candidates in the race (the other is state Rep. Joe Towns Jr. [D]). The contest has presented a dilemma for members of Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), creating a conflict between their loyalty to fellow incumbent Democrats on the one hand and to fellow African-American candidates on the other. Most of the CBC’s 43 members have stayed out of the fray, but, reports Washington’s The Hill newspaper, US Reps. John Conyers (MI) and Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL) are backing Cohen, while US Reps. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (OH) and Gregory Meeks (FL) are helping Tinker. Word is that there’s plenty of hostility all around.

GOPer Suspends North Carolina Congressional Campaign

Carl Mumpower, the Asheville city councilman who won the primary for the Republican nomination to oppose freshman US Rep. Heath Shuler (D), has effectively torpedoed his own campaign and any chances the GOP may have had in the district. Mumpower has suspended all campaigning until a majority of the 15 Republican county committees in his district endorses a core Republican set of principles and the party develops a process to hold its elected officials accountable for sticking to those principles. Mumpower, the quintessential true-believer, is upset with fellow Republican Elizabeth Dole’s vote to override President Bush’s veto of the Medicare physician reimbursement reduction bill. However, in June Mumpower advocated impeaching Bush for his failure to act on illegal immigration. As of June 30, Mumpower had $1,000 cash-on-hand. Shuler had $965,000. SPR joins other political observers in rating the district Safe Democratic.

Democrats Register More New Florida Voters

Although both parties have been holding registration drives in the Sunshine State, it’s the Democrats who are getting the most new voters on the rolls. Of the more than 300,000 new voters registered since January, 200,000-plus have been Democrats, some 82,000 have been Republicans, with the balance registered in minor parties or as independents.

In May, Democrats had 4,305,680 voters registered, or 42% of the total, while the GOP had 3,889,705, or 37%. Much of the Democratic effort was organized by the Obama campaign. GOPers claim Democrats always do a better job of registering voters in Florida, but the Republicans do better at turning their folks out to vote. We’ll see.

Texas: Shapiro Forms US Senate Exploratory Committee