House Dems look to rally troops

House Democratic leaders worried about losing seats will rally their troops — and call for cash — in a conference call with their members on Tuesday.

A week before the Nov. 4 midterm elections, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who heads the Democrats’ campaign arm, are expected to lend updates on the election landscape while pushing members to make good on their party dues.

{mosads}Democratic leadership aides say the focus of the call will be on the former, with an emphasis on the Democrats’ messaging strategy in the face of tough odds this cycle.

“The plan is messaging and campaign updates,” said one leadership aide.

But the offices of some rank-and-file Democrats say they’re also expecting significant pressure on members to be more generous with their campaign funds in the final week.

A number of the most vulnerable Democrats have not paid their dues – nor are they expected to. The idea is to have Democrats in safe districts open their wallets wider to help their most threatened colleagues and countervail the flood of cash from outside conservative groups in those districts.

Campaign handicappers on and off of Capitol Hill expect the Republicans to pick up between two and 10 seats at the polls on Nov. 4. But a number of contests remain too close to call, and the Democrats are defending most of the seats in the tightest races. 

Indeed, of the 30 most vulnerable House incumbents, only eight are Republicans, according to a recent analysis by The District Policy Group, the lobbying arm of the Philadelphia-based law firm Drinker, Biddle and Reath.

Tuesday’s call is scheduled for 4 p.m.