DCCC targets ‘one-term wonders’

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting 15 freshman Republican lawmakers it believes are ripe for defeat in 2016.

The DCCC on Wednesday launched a One Term Wonders website, likening the new House members to one-hit musicians from the 1980s who popped up and promptly disappeared.

{mosads}The list is peppered with Republican members who won close elections in competitive districts and could face rematches with their Democratic foes.

Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) won the closest race of the 2014 midterm election cycle after a protracted recount, defeating then-Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.), after she lost a close race to him in 2012. 

In 2014, Rep. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) narrowly defeated incumbent Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who had previously knocked him out of office in 2012 by fewer than 2,500 votes.

And Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) regained his old seat after defeating Democratic incumbent Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) in their third contest against each other.

In 2014, Republicans picked up 13 seats in the House and gained a 247-188 advantage over Democrats. It’s their largest majority in the House since World War II.

Many of those Republicans won competitive districts and will be back in the thick of it in 2016, a presidential year when Democrats believe they’ll have better turnout.

The DCCC’s list of freshmen is heavy on traditionally blue states, like Illinois and New York, as well as battleground states that will be a focus in 2016, like Florida, Iowa and New Hampshire.

Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) is another notable name on the list. He narrowly defeated Democrat Alex Sink in a March special election for Florida’s 13th District, which underscored the difficult climate Democrats faced in 2014.

Democrats didn’t have a candidate to face him November, but they’ll be looking to run a strong challenger against him in the next cycle.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Katie Martin dismissed the notion that the GOP would be on the defensive in 2016.

“House Democrats still don’t understand the November elections were a sign that their policies are greatly out-of-touch with middle class families,” she said in an email. “We encourage House Democrats to continue with their failed broken record approach because it ensures our members will go into the election year stronger than ever.”

Rounding out the DCCC’s list are Reps. Carlos Curbelo (Fla.), Rod Blum (Iowa), David Young (Iowa), Mike Bost (Ill.), Bruce Poliquin (Maine), Cresent Hardy (Nev.), Lee Zeldin (N.Y.), John Katko (N.Y.), Ryan Costello (Pa.), Will Hurd (Texas) and Barbara Comstock (Va.).