Top challengers filing for second time around

A number of congressional candidates who came up short in 2008 are already launching campaigns for 2010 — at least in the eyes of the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Repeat candidates in several races around the country have filed statements of candidacy with the FEC.

{mosads}These allow them to begin raising money, even if they haven’t officially taken the plunge for the next cycle.

Those filing include Maryland state Sen. Andy Harris (R), Illinois Democrat Dan Seals and California Democrat Charlie Brown.

Brown filed his papers on Dec. 3 — the same day he conceded to Rep.-elect Tom McClintock (R) in an open-seat race.

He did the same thing last cycle, raising money months before he officially declared himself a candidate.
Campaign manager Todd Stenhouse said nothing should be read into the filing.

“Charlie’s assessing all his options; he hasn’t come to any conclusions at this point,” Stenhouse said.

Like Brown, Harris lost his race by less than 1 percent. He is likely to make another run against Rep.-elect Frank Kratovil (D-Md.), though he hasn’t made an official decision.

Seals fell for the second-straight cycle to Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), this time by 10 percent. He filed a statement of candidacy for 2010 last week, when Kirk was ratcheting up talk that he might run if there is a special election for President-elect Obama’s former Senate seat.

Filing now would allow Seals to raise money in case Kirk vacates his seat to run for Senate or if he were to win the Senate seat. Kirk held off Seals with relative ease, but the district leans Democratic.

It might be for naught, though, as the special-election proposal took a big step backward in the Illinois legislature this week.

Seals spokeswoman Elisabeth Smith said Seals is not raising money and hasn’t made any decisions about 2010. She also said the timing had nothing to do with talk of a Kirk Senate bid.

“He’s not gearing up for a 2010 race,” Smith said. “I don’t know exactly why that was filed, but he’s taking everything pretty slowly right now.”

Candidates are allowed leeway when they are testing the waters for a campaign, but they must file with the FEC when they raise in excess of $5,000.