Ex-Rep. Joe Baca Touts 30 Endorsements From House Democrats #CA31

Baca has support from many of his colleagues. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Rep. Joe Baca, a Democrat attempting a comeback bid in California’s 31st District, boasted support from 30 House Democrats on Thursday. The list runs the gamut from members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Assistant Minority Leader James E. Clyburn of South Carolina.

Baca publicized these endorsements the morning after he hosted a Washington, D.C., fundraiser with Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz. It was one day after his 31st District opponent, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee-backed candidate Pete Aguilar, announced the support of a dozen Democrats in the California delegation.

Full story

Jo Bonner to Resign From Congress Soon (Updated) #AL01

A local newspaper reported Bonner will resign soon. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 3:57 p.m. | Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., will resign from Congress later this year to take a job at the University of Alabama, CQ Roll Call has confirmed.

Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., told reporters about Bonner’s imminent departure. Bonner sent a personal note to Shelby a few hours ago explaining the move. He will take on the newly created position of vice chancellor of government relations and economic development. Full story

Will Perseverance Pay Off for Perennial Hawaiian Pols?

Case might run for Congress again. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

In Hawaii politics, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And again. And again.

Or, at least that’s how many candidates in the state have operated over the past few cycles.

Full story

House Democrats Fete Top Recruits in D.C.

Israel is bringing his top recruits to town. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 2:43 p.m. | The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will host a reception Wednesday night for its best recruits, according to an invitation obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Launched earlier this month, the Jumpstart program “provides early financial, communications, operational and strategic support to help top-tier candidates get a head start in these highly-targeted races,” according to a memo sent to donors and supporters upon the program’s launch.

The invitation does not list the Jumpstart candidates, but the DCCC previously announced the group. The group is: Full story

Ten House Democrats Endorse Pete Aguilar #CA31

Baca is running for congress again. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Ten Democrats in California’s congressional delegation announced their support Wednesday morning for Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar for the 31st District.

Their endorsements are likely an effort to push other Democratic candidates out of this competitive race — including an ex-colleague, former Rep. Joe Baca.

The party had primary problems in this district last cycle, when a bevy of candidates splintered the Democratic vote, allowing two Republicans to head to the general election. California’s primary allows the top two candidates, regardless of party, to advance to the general.

This election cycle is looking like déjà vu for Democrats in the 31st District, which is a targeted race again. In 2012, Republican Rep. Gary G. Miller won re-election in this district that President Barack Obama carried. Full story

Mike Honda’s Endorsement Parade Continues #CA17

Honda has announced many endorsements. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

What do the president’s half sister, actor Kal Penn and Star Trek legend slash Facebook celebrity George Takei have in common?

All of them have endorsed Rep. Michael M. Honda, who on Tuesday announced support from six Asian-American and Pacific Islander leaders.

Full story

Bachmann Opponent on Term Limits and Tipping Etiquette #MN06 | The Candidate

Graves is running for Congress a second time. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Note: Every year, scores of congressional candidates visit the CQ Roll Call offices to meet with reporters and Contributing Writer Stuart Rothenberg. This new feature, “The Candidate,” will ask these congressional hopefuls five questions about their campaigns. Responses have been edited and condensed.

Have a question for a candidate? We’ll announce their visits via Twitter, and you can tweet your inquiry to @RollCall or email politics@cqrollcall.com.

Tea Party Express Backs Special-Election Candidate

Missouri Speaker Pro Tem Jason Smith picked up the endorsement of the Tea Party Express on Tuesday, less than three weeks before the special election in the Show Me State’s 8th District.

“Jason is a promising young conservative who will bring fiscal responsibility to Washington, D.C.,” Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer said in a news release. “Tea Partiers across the country applaud his commitment to repealing Obamacare and reining in the federal government’s out-of-control spending.”

Full story

Democratic Fundraiser Mulls Run for Melvin Watt Seat

Watt has been nominated for a post in the Obama administration. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Scott Dworkin, a Democratic fundraiser, is considering a run for North Carolina’s 12th District, he confirmed to CQ Roll Call  Monday morning.

Another Republican Announces Run in #GA10

It’s hard to keep up with the number of Republicans vying for Georgia’s three open House seats.

Since publishing our Farm Team column on Wednesday about the likely field of candidates in the Peach State, another GOP politician has announced he will run for the open 10th District seat.

Full story

Georgia Farm Team Stacked With Carters

Thursday’s installment of Roll Call’s Farm Team tackled the long list of up-and-coming politicians in Georgia who are either running for Congress this cycle or who may do so down the line.

While the list of candidates includes everyone from a trail-blazing Atlanta city council member to a former Capitol Hill staffer, one notable trend from the list emerged: the sheer number of Carters looking to ascend Georgia’s political ladder.

Full story

Bachmann to Air Early Season TV Ads #MN06

Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann will begin flooding her 6^th District with television ads next week, according to a filing with the Federal Communications Commission.

Bachmann’s campaign will air 31 ads that run 30 seconds each on local Fox affiliate KSMP beginning Thursday. The ads were made by Crossroads Media, an Arlington, Va.-based firm, and will air over a 12-day period, according to the filing, which was first reported by National Journal.

Full story

Remainders: Recruitment Woes

Here’s what you may have missed “At the Races” on Monday …

• Former Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin announced on her Facebook page that she will not seek the open Senate seat in South Dakota.
• A GOP poll found that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has a slight lead over likely Republican Senate candidates Joe Miller and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell. Palin, however, has not indicated that she will run for the seat.
• A crowded GOP primary in West Virginia’s 2nd District may be likely. The seat is being vacated by Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, who announced last year that she’s running for the state’s open Senate seat following Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s retirement.
• David Schwarz, a former staffer for Republican Rep. Jack Kingston, is running for his former boss’ seat in Georgia’s 1st District. Kingston left the seat open when he announced he was running for the Peach State’s open Senate seat.

What we’re mulling on Monday …

• Two new polls out in New Hampshire found Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., has a double-digit lead in a hypothetical match-up with former Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass.
• North Carolina state Sen. Malcolm Graham became the first candidate to announce he will run for Rep. Mel Watt’s seat. Watt was nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, although he has yet to be confirmed and has yet to resign his seat. If confirmed, Watt’s House departure would likely create a crowded special election.

Former Kingston Staffer to Run for #GA01

A former staffer for Republican Rep. Jack Kingston will announce on Wednesday that he’s running for his former boss’ seat.

David Schwarz, who served as a senior staffer for Kingston before moving to the consulting firm Pier Strategies, will become the third Republican to enter the 1st District race.

Full story

Remainders: Recruitment Season

Here’s what you may have missed “At the Races” on Thursday …

• Following a couple of Senate recruitment setbacks for both parties this week, Shira Toeplitz posted a timeline of when candidates announced their Senate bids in the 2012 cycle for comparison.
• Kyle Trygstad looked into whether former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., will jump into South Dakota’s open Senate race now that Democrat Rick Weiland announced his candidacy. It wouldn’t be the first time Herseth Sandlin and Weiland have faced off in a primary.
• Missouri state  Speaker Pro Tem Jason Smith, a Republican, released his first ad in the special election to fill former Rep. Jo Ann Emerson’s seat.
• The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched a new program to cultivate strong candidates in targeted districts for 2014. The DCCC has tapped eight Democratic candidates for the program so far.

What we’re mulling on Thursday … Full story