NRCC adds 11 House Republicans to incumbent-protection program

Six others are Republicans who were swept into office in the 2010 GOP wave: Reps. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.), Joe Heck (R-Nev.) and Steve Southerland (R-Fla.). Only Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), whose district became significantly more Democratic after redistricting, has been continuously in office for more than two terms.

{mosads}The program is designed to help the candidates get moving on fundraising, something a number of vulnerable House Republican freshmen struggled with in the last quarter. While Coffman and Davis raised big money, Walorski, Valadao, Southerland and Gibbs all posted weak totals.

One name notably not on the list: Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.), who’s running in a heavily Democratic district and is considered the GOP’s most vulnerable incumbent.

Rep. Kerry Bentivolio (R-Mich.), another potentially vulnerable Republican, is also not on the list, though many in the GOP would be happy to see him lose a primary to a less controversial candidate.