DCCC hits seven GOPers with stimulus calls

The Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee will launch a second round of automated phone calls
targeting Republicans who opposed the stimulus package and could be at risk in
2010.

The calls attack seven freshmen,
several of whom narrowly won their seats in 2008, for joining every other House
Republican in voting against the package last week. The DCCC plans to highlight
polls that suggest support is increasing for the economic stimulus legislation.

{mosads}”Did you know Congressman Tom
Rooney voted against economic recovery that would immediately create and save
nearly 330,000 Florida jobs?” asks a call targeting the freshman Florida
Republican.

“Times are tough. Tell
Congressman Rooney to put families before politics,” the caller intones.

The calls are set to run against
GOP Reps. Bill Cassidy (La.), John Fleming (La.), Brett Guthrie (Ky.), Leonard
Lance (N.J.), Christopher Lee (N.Y.) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (Mo.), in addition
to Rooney.

The calls come as a new Gallup
Poll shows 51 percent of Americans say a stimulus plan is “critically
important” and a week after the DCCC launched radio ads targeting 28
Republican members who voted against the package. The radio ads will end their
run tomorrow. All seven freshmen targeted by the phone calls also had radio ads
run against them.

A spokesperson for the DCCC declined
to detail the costs of the multi-pronged campaign.