State by state

Florida

A polling memo released by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Wednesday shows Rep. Tom Feeney (R) at 42 percent in a head-to-head match-up with his new Democratic opponent.

The Garin-Hart-Yang poll was conducted in July, well before former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D) entered the race. It shows Feeney ahead 42-23 without leaners and attributes his advantage to an 86-19 name recognition advantage.

{mosads}Feeney’s approval rating in the poll is 36 percent, while his disapproval is 46 percent.

“This poll shows that Tom Feeney has lost the faith and trust of his constituents and that he faces a serious challenge in the 2008 election,” said DCCC spokeswoman Kyra Jennings.

Feeney chief of staff Tonnie Wybensinger noted that Feeney’s opponents have cited Feeney’s alleged vulnerability in previous polls, only to see him win by double digits.

Wybensinger said Feeney is “fighting for fiscal sanity in Washington and fighting to block big spending proposals advanced by the Pelosi Democrats. Sending Kosmas to Congress will make things worse — not better.”

— Aaron Blake

Georgia

As though it’s not difficult enough for a Southern Democratic challenger in a Senate race, Josh Lanier is making it even harder for himself.

Lanier has decided to abide by the provisions of a campaign finance reform bill called the Fair Elections Now Act by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) that strictly limit his fundraising. The legislation also calls for public financing of campaigns.

Essentially, Lanier will follow the guidelines for getting public financing, but he won’t get any public financing for his bid for Sen. Saxby Chambliss’s (R) seat. The first step for his exploratory committee: He has to get 500 people to give him exactly $5.

“It means we’re taking five times the risk without any benefits,” Lanier told The Hill. “I’m taking the risk. I’m gonna walk point on this issue, which I’ve done all my life.”

Born and raised in Georgia, Lanier had a 30-year career in Washington that started after he returned from serving in the Army in Vietnam and went to work for then-Sen. Herman Talmadge (D-Ga.).

Lanier announced his exploratory committee last week. Former television reporter Dale Cardwell, scientist Rand Knight and DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones are also in the race.

— Mike Soraghan

Illinois

Former White House official Jimmy Lee (R) will run for retiring Rep. Jerry Weller’s (R) 11th district seat, Lee announced Tuesday.

Lee was, until recently, the executive director of the White House Initiative for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He has moved back to the district.

New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann (R) is also running for the GOP nod. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Debbie Halvorson is running.

— A.B.

Maine

A new poll shows Rep. Tom Allen (D) has a long way to go if he wants to make it a race against Sen. Susan Collins (R).

Collins holds a 56-33 lead over Allen in a Research 2000 poll commissioned by the liberal DailyKos blog. The poll surveyed 600 likely voters in the state.

Her favorability and approval ratings are 58 and 56 percent, respectively, and 55 percent of voters said they would vote to reelect her, while only 21 percent said they were committed to voting to replace her, according to the poll.

“We’re aware of the challenge but remain completely convinced that this is very doable,” said Allen campaign manager Valerie Martin, who cited victorious Democrats who faced similar deficits early in the 2006 cycle. “It’s awful early for head-to-head match-ups.”

Allen will get some fundraising help from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Friday morning. Albright will participate in a $100-per-person event at the Augusta Country Club.

— A.B.

New Hampshire

Republican Jim Steiner became the first candidate to announce a campaign against freshman Rep. Paul Hodes (D) this week.

Steiner is a former Army Green Beret captain and lawyer.

“I have filed the papers with the Federal Election Commission,” Steiner wrote in an e-mail to The Hill. “I am looking forward to speaking with and meeting with people around the state over the next year.”

Steiner said he would make an announcement on Saturday.

— A.B.

New York

Freshman congressman and former Orleans band member John Hall (D) will hold a fundraiser on Sunday afternoon with David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in Bedford Hills, N.Y.

The fundraiser will charge $500 for “friends,” $1,000 for “supporters,” and $2,300 for preferred seating.
It is not the first time Hall has used his entertainment ties to raise money. Musicians Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Pete Seeger are among those who have helped out.

One of Hall’s Republican opponents, Iraq veteran Kieran Michael Lalor, criticized Hall for holding the fundraiser after Crosby recently said that the job of U.S. soldiers in Iraq is “killing somebody else’s mother and sister.”

Crosby was talking about the tough situation soldiers face.

Hall spokeswoman Meaghan Smith said: “David Crosby is a longtime friend and colleague of Congressman Hall’s. He has passionate views about the war in Iraq, and he’s entitled to express his own opinion.”

— A.B.

Oregon

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will travel to Rep. Darlene Hooley’s (D) district to raise money for her repeat opponent, businessman Mike Erickson (R), likely in late November, Erickson said Wednesday.

Erickson is giving it another shot against Hooley after losing by 12 points last year. He joined the race relatively late and funded most of it with his own money.

This time, he’s pledging to raise significant money. Blunt’s visit, tentatively set for Nov. 27, will be the first time national Republicans have sent a member of leadership to help Erickson in that regard.

— A.B.