New Mexico: Martin Heinrich, Heather Wilson Headed for Primary Wins

Rep. Martin Heinrich is expected to face off against his predecessor, ex-Rep. Heather Wilson, in New Mexico's Senate race this fall. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

The last two people to represent Albuquerque in Congress are likely to face off in the race for New Mexico’s open Senate seat, a new independent poll found — confirming an outcome that has been expected for weeks.

Rep. Martin Heinrich (D) and former Rep. Heather Wilson (R) held wide leads over their June 5 primary opponents in polls conducted for the Albuquerque Journal by Brian Sanderoff of Research & Polling Inc. They’re vying for the seat of retiring Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D) in what will be a top battleground for control of the Senate. Full story

Arizona: Ron Barber Noncommittal on Vote for Nancy Pelosi

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

TUCSON, Ariz. — Ron Barber, the Democrat running to succeed ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, remains noncommittal on whether he would vote for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to lead his party after the November elections.

“That’s a decision that’s way off in the future, and I wouldn’t know the answer to that question until we know who the candidates are for Speaker,” he said in an interview today. “I think it’s important to make decisions like that, or any decision, based upon what’s in front of you and what the facts are. I don’t know who will be up for Speaker in 2013, and I’ll reserve judgment on who I would vote for.” Full story

California: DCCC, Members of Congress Aid Julia Brownley in 26th District

National Democrats are rushing to the aid of California Assemblywoman Julia Brownley as the party faces the realistic possibility of being left off of the general election ballot.

Brownley is one of a handful of Democrats running in the top-two primary June 5 in the open 26th district. State Sen. Tony Strickland (R) is favored to advance, while Brownley and Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks (I) are angling for the second spot. A splintered Democratic vote could help Parks finish ahead of Brownley. Full story

Texas: League of Conservation Voters Ties Ciro Rodriguez to President George W. Bush

The League of Conservation Voters will go up today on San Antonio airwaves with its campaign against former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez in Texas’ 23rd district Democratic primary.

The group’s new television ad does not name LCV’s endorsed candidate in the primary, state Rep. Pete Gallego. It does, however, mention another Texan — President George W. Bush. The intent is to tie Rodriguez’s environmental record with that of Bush’s.

“Say no to Bush, and say no to Ciro Rodriguez,” a female narrator says.

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Washington: Democratic Candidates Defy Party in 1st District

Against the wishes of the state Democratic Party, four of the party’s candidates running for the redrawn 1st district have also filed to run concurrently in a special election being held in the seat’s old boundaries to fill the vacancy caused by former Rep. Jay Inslee’s (D) resignation.

Inslee’s decision to leave Congress in March to run for governor generated a confusing process to replace him that was further complicated by redistricting. Seven candidates filed by Friday’s deadline to run for a full term under the 1st district’s new lines. Ten candidates filed to run in the Nov. 6 special election to fill the remainder of Inslee’s term under the district lines as drawn 10 years ago. Full story

Connecticut: Richard Blumenthal Backs Christopher Murphy in Primary

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) endorsed Rep. Christopher Murphy (D) for Senate on Monday.

“From standing up for American jobs and manufacturers to protecting Medicare and Social Security, Chris has been a strong partner for me during his service in the House,” Blumenthal said.

Murphy is the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, which also features former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz. Full story

New Jersey: House Leaders, Reality Star Donate to Bill Pascrell

Rep. Bill Pascrell is facing off against a fellow Democrat in a primary next month. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Two members of House Democratic leadership have donated to Rep. Bill Pascrell in his Member-vs.-Member fight against fellow New Jersey Rep. Steven Rothman.

Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn (S.C.) and Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.) have sent checks to Pascrell, although one of the donations was much more recent than the other.

Clyburn donated a total of $7,000 through his PAC and campaign committee Friday, according to Pascrell’s latest 48-hour fundraising report. Larson’s campaign committee donated $2,000 Dec. 31, just days after it became clear that a Member-vs.-Member race was shaping up between the two men. Full story

New Jersey: David Axelrod to Campaign for Steven Rothman

Rep. Steven Rothman (above) picked up support from senior Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Updated: 4:57 p.m. | Senior Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod is set to campaign on behalf of Rep. Steven Rothman on Wednesday in his tough 9th district primary against fellow Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell. The Bergen County Record first reported the news.

President Bill Clinton endorsed Pascrell earlier this month, and Axelrod’s move to campaign for Rothman sets up a rematch of sorts of the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. In that contest, Rothman was an early Obama backer; Pascrell endorsed then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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NRCC Pulls in Big Money, Outraises DCCC in April

The National Republican Congressional Committee, led by Rep. Pete Sessions, outraised its Democratic counterpart in April. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The National Republican Congressional Committee outraised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by about half a million dollars in April.

The NRCC raised an impressive $6.9 million last month and ended April with $31.3 million in cash on hand.

That compares with the $6.48 million raised by the DCCC; it ended the month with $25 million in the bank.

The NRCC is almost $20 million ahead of where it was in cash on hand at this time last cycle.

DCCC Posts Big April Fundraising Haul

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has turned in top fundraising this cycle under its chairman, Rep. Steve Israel. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $6.48 million in April and ended last month with $25 million in cash on hand.

The DCCC has posted big fundraising figures in recent months, often outraising its counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee.

A DCCC spokesman said this was their “best April in history.”

By comparison, the DCCC raised just less than $3 million in April of 2006, a year in which they took control of the House, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

The NRCC has not yet released its monthly fundraising numbers, which are due to be filed at the FEC on or before Sunday.

Democrats have an uphill climb to net the 25 seats needed to take back the chamber, which they lost in 2010. The first salvo in that effort will come next month in the Arizona special election to replace former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D). Both parties and their allies are spending heavily on the swing seat.

Poll: David Cicilline Has Tough Primary in Rhode Island

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

Rep. David Cicilline, one of the most endangered House Democrats this cycle, might not even make it out of the September primary, according to a poll conducted for Rhode Island television affiliate WPRI.

The Congressman got 40 percent versus 36 percent for his primary challenger, businessman Anthony Gemma. Twenty percent of those surveyed were undecided.

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New Mexico: Bill Clinton Robocalls For Marty Chávez

President Bill Clinton is making his presence felt in yet another Democratic House primary.

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Nevada: Joe Heck, John Oceguera Reserve $1.4 Million in TV Time

Freshman Rep. Joe Heck (R) and Assembly Speaker John Oceguera (D) have reserved more than $1.4 million combined in fall television airtime in Las Vegas, according to a chart provided by a Democratic source.

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Michigan: Filing Deadline Arrives With No Surprises

Rep. Tim Walberg (R) will not have a top challenger for his re-election race this November, leaving Democrats with a major recruitment hole in the Michigan map.

Instead, Democrats will focus their efforts on a rerun race between freshman Rep. Dan Benishek (R) and former state Rep. Gary McDowell (D) in the state’s Upper Peninsula.

The Wolverine State’s Congressional races were set today, when the candidate filing period closed at 4 p.m. There were no major surprises among the dozens of petitions, including Walberg’s race. A couple of weeks ago, former GOP Rep. Joe Schwarz declined to challenge Walberg as a Democrat.

Michigan shed a House seat due to population loss, and Republicans led a redraw of the state’s Congressional boundaries last year. As a result, a few Democrats filed to run for re-election in new territory around Detroit.

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Minnesota: Delegation to Headline Rick Nolan Fundraiser

A pack of noteworthy Democratic Members were scheduled Wednesday to host a fundraiser for former Rep. Rick Nolan, who is running for the Democratic nomination in Minnesota’s 8th district. The invitation to the Washington, D.C., event encourages attendees to come “celebrate the Democratic Farmer Labor Endorsement of Rick Nolan.”

The fundraiser’s hosts include Minnesota’s entire Democratic Congressional delegation and non-Gopher State Members that Nolan served with during his previous stint on Capitol Hill. Nolan has a competitive primary and is trying to send a message that Minnesota’s Democratic establishment and others are coalescing around his candidacy.

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