Rhode Island: Governor Signs New Map Boosting Cicilline

Rep. David Cicilline is expected to have a difficult re-election race. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I)  signed into law today the redistricting plan that Rhode Island’s Legislature passed last week.

Rep. David Cicilline (D) is the big winner under the new map. It is anticipated that he will have a tough re-election race this cycle, but his redrawn district shifts Democratic voters from fellow Democratic Rep. James Langevin’s 2nd district into Cicilline’s 1st district.

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North Carolina: Former Shuler Chief Mounts Congressional Bid

Hayden Rogers, chief of staff to Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) until earlier this week, announced a bid for Congress in North Carolina’s 11th district today.

Rogers is widely considered to be the only Democrat who has a shot at keeping the district for the party since Shuler announced last week that he will retire.

During redistricting, the Republican-controlled Legislature drew the 11th to be the most Republican in the state, so Rogers will face a steep uphill climb in a district that would have voted more than 58 percent for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the 2008 presidential election.

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Florida: Mica and Adams May Face Off in GOP Primary

Florida’s likely new Congressional map started a game of musical chairs last week.

But now, in northeastern Florida, there are two players looking to take one seat. Republican Reps. John Mica and Sandy Adams appear poised to run against each other in the proposed 7th district, setting up a Member-vs.-Member primary between a 10-term Congressman and a freshman.

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Florida: West Challenger Follows Him to New District

Democratic businessman Patrick Murphy, who had been running in Florida’s 22nd district, announced today he would follow in the footsteps of freshman Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) and run in the proposed 18th district.

“Allen West abandoned his constituents to find supposedly safer political ground. Today, our campaign is putting Mr. West on notice: There is no safe district he can run to,” Murphy said in a statement.

“I have spoken to local and national Democratic leaders, as well as local activists and the support for me continuing my campaign against Allen West is overwhelming,” he added. Murphy and former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel were vying for the Democratic nomination to take on West, who recently announced he was running in a district composed of mostly new territory.

In an interview with Roll Call on Tuesday, West was asked about the potential of Murphy following him to the new district.

“That would be a very dangerous thing,” West said. “If he goes back and studies Hannibal, you may not want to follow a very savvy person that just avoided an ambush because obviously they got something that’s waiting for you.” Full story

Illinois: Pro-Kinzinger Poll Shows Him Tied With Don Manzullo

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (above) faces fellow GOP Rep. Don Manzullo in a primary next month. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Illinois Republicans Don Manzullo and Adam Kinzinger are locked in a competitive primary, according to a new survey from a super PAC supporting Kinzinger.

The Congressmen are tied at 43 percent in the poll paid for by the Campaign for Primary Accountability. 14 percent of survey respondents said they were undecided about the March 20 primary. Full story

Nevada: Kihuen Drops Out of House Race

(Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Nevada Democrats avoided a contentious primary in the open 1st district today as state Sen. Ruben Kihuen announced he was dropping out of the race.

His exit clears a path for a return to Congress for former Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat defeated in 2010 by now-Rep. Joe Heck. Titus will have no serious competition from Republicans in the general election for this Las Vegas-based district.

“Unfortunately, the reality is that continuing my efforts to win in what would promise to be a resource draining primary at this time is not in the best interest for me, my family, my community and my party,” Kihuen said in a statement that was reported by the Las Vegas Sun’s Jon Ralston.

Kihuen was in Washington, D.C., just two weeks ago to meet with party leaders, and he said in an interview with Roll Call that he felt his natural base among Latinos would help him in a primary against Titus.

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Ohio: Marcy Kaptur Airs First Ad in Race Versus Dennis Kucinich

Rep. Marcy Kaptur will kick off her television campaign against fellow Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich on Wednesday with a positive, semi-biographical spot.

Kaptur makes no mention of Kucinich in the ad, which aims to introduce her in the Congressman’s home turf — the Cleveland media market — with a $90,000 buy.

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North Carolina: Sue Myrick Won’t Seek Re-Election

Updated: 4:02 p.m. | North Carolina Rep. Sue Myrick (R) announced today she will retire from the House this year.

“After thoughtful discussion with my family, I have decided not to run for another term in Congress,” the Congresswoman wrote in a post on Facebook and said in a video posted on YouTube.

New York: Rory Lancman Explores Bid Against Bob Turner

New York state Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D) moved toward a campaign against Republican Rep. Bob Turner on Monday, filing paperwork for an exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission. In September, Turner won an upset special election victory in the 9th district, and Democrats are keen to take back the seat their party held for generations.

In an interview with Roll Call today, Lancman, who has made a point of hammering Turner over the past few months, bemoaned the fact that “ordinary people are not playing on a level playing field.” Full story

Nebraska: Bob Kerrey Won’t Run for Senate

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Sen. Bob Kerrey will not be running for retiring Sen. Ben Nelson’s (D) Nebraska Senate seat.

“For many reasons I nearly said yes. In the end I choose to remain a private citizen,” Kerrey wrote in an email, according to the Associated Press. “To those who urged me to do so, I am sorry, very sorry to have disappointed you. I hope you understand that I have chosen what I believe is best for my family and me.”

After Nelson announced his retirement late last year, Kerrey was viewed as the best hope for Democrats to hold on to the seat.

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NRCC Announces First Round of ‘Contender’ Candidates

Jackie Walorski, running for an open seat in Indiana, was among the GOP candidates elevated by the National Republican Congressional Committee today. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The National Republican Congressional Committee today announced the first round of candidates to make it to the third step in its Young Guns candidate program.

Eleven Republicans running in open seats or against Democratic incumbents were named “Contender” candidates, elevating them from the initial enrollment and “On the Radar” steps. The candidates must meet district-specific benchmarks to move through the program. Full story

Pennsylvania: SEIU Backs Critz Over Altmire in Primary

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The local Service Employees International Union is backing Rep. Mark Critz (D-Pa.) in his upcoming primary with fellow Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire.

“SEIU is proud to support Mark Critz because he has shown that he is committed to fight to create jobs, oppose unfair trade deals and stand up for workers who want to join a union,” said Gabe Morgan, president of the Pennsylvania State Council of SEIU.
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California: AFSCME Picks Berman Over Sherman

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Rep. Howard Berman (Calif.) has won the endorsement of a second major labor union in the last month for his primary battle with fellow Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman.

The California arm of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced it is backing Berman, who “has been a tireless advocate for the rights of public employees, defending workers’ rights in the courtroom as a labor lawyer and working to achieving collective bargaining rights for thousands of California public employees during his tenure in the state Legislature,” said Barbara Blake, an executive board member.
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Kentucky: Redistricting Plan Prompts Plea From Andy Barr

Lexington, Ky., attorney Andy Barr, who lost his 2010 bid against Rep. Ben Chandler (D) by 647 votes, blasted out an urgent request to supporters Monday asking for their voice in stopping a redistricting bill.
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Utah: Mailers Hitting Both Sides in GOP Primary

Sen. Orrin Hatch has been supported by advocacy group Freedom Path in his quest for re-election in Utah. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Two outside groups were filling Republicans’ mailboxes recently with contrasting views on candidates in Utah’s Senate race.

Several Republicans, including former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist and state Rep. Chris Herrod, are challenging Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) from the right, while conservative groups FreedomWorks and Club for Growth are actively pursuing his defeat. Full story