Blue Dog Candidate Update!

Blue Dog Friends – Thanks to all of your support, we continue to see growing momentum behind our Blue Dog-endorsed candidates this cycle! With even more endorsements on the horizon, we are excited about all that our coalition is doing to elect centrist members to the House.

With guidance from our members, these candidates are putting in the hard work and doing what it takes to win in Blue Dog districts across the country. Following are some updates from the trail.

As always, to get involved or learn more about Blue Dog endorsed candidate program, contact Molly Allen at [email protected] or Hannah Bruce at [email protected] or (202) 827-8200.

Anthony Brindisi (NY-22)

Brindisi continues to outraise his challengers, and poll results show Brindisi leading Tenney by 6 points, 50% to 44% in their head to head campaign for the 22nd Congressional seat.

Watch Brindisi’s latest ad, “Always Independent,” HERE.

Paul Davis (KS-2)

Real Clear Politics moved the race from “leans Republican” to “toss up,” and Paul was featured in articles from the Kansas City Star and National Journal that highlight how the campaign is gaining momentum.

Gretchen Driskell (MI-7)

Driskell earned double the votes, 27,000 more, in the Michigan primary than in the 2016 primary, indicating that the base in the Michigan 7th is growing and energized. The campaign also outraised the incumbent for a third straight quarter by over $100,000 and more than doubled his raisings in the pre-primary filing period.

Gretchen’s endorsements include: Blue Dog Democrats, Council for a Livable World, EMILY’s List, End Citizens United, Human Rights Campaign, Feminist Majority, League of Conservation Voters, NARAL, National Committee for an Effective Congress, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, Tri State Maxed Out Women, AFTE, AFGE, AFL-CIO, AFSCME (Council 25), Bricklayers, Carpenters, CWA, IBEW, IUEC, IUOE, IUPAT, MEA, The Machinists, Michigan Professional Fire Fighters, Seafarers International Union, SEIU, Teamsters, Steelworkers, UAW, UFCW, UNITE HERE, UTU and UWUA.

Mel Hall (IN-2)

Hall is up on tv with a several different ad buys in the South Bend, Indianapolis, and Chicago media markets. Watch the ads here:

. Minister . Hard Work . Values

Mel also came out against current leadership in the House. Here's an article highlighting Mel's stance.

Brendan Kelly (IL –12)

With 89 days to go, the Brendan Kelly for Southern Illinois campaign is heading into the final stretch of the 2018 midterms. Kelly for Southern Illinois has outraised Republic incumbent Mike Bost every single quarter, thanks to a massive grassroots donor base that has allowed it to raise more than any other challenger in the history of Illinois’s 12th Congressional District.

A month ago, Kelly for Southern Illinois became the first Congressional campaign in the state of Illinois to air an advertisement on broadcast television, “Faith,” and Kelly for Southern Illinois moved into the general election campaign buoyed by encouraging patterns in the March 20th primary. 25% more Democrats came out to vote than Republicans, and the top of the ticket Republican, Governor Bruce Rauner, only received mediocre support from conservatives in the district.

Chris Hunter (FL-12)

Former DOJ prosecutor Chris Hunter received the Tampa Bay Times recommendation in the run-up to his August 28 primary. The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board called Hunter “an ideal candidate for Democrats.” At the end of July, the DCCC placed Chris’ race on Majority Makers citing the strength of the campaign Chris is running. The Majority Maker designation comes on the heels of the incumbent Chris is challenging being caught issuing a misleading fundraising press release inflating the level of his local support. Chris also recently appeared as a guest on Politics On Your Side which aired live on WFLA NBC News Channel 8 prior to Meet the Press. Chris discussed a range of topics including the Special Counsel investigation.

Ben McAdams (UT-4)

McAdams continues to run a strong campaign against flawed incumbent Mia Love. He is polling within the margin of error and the race is now rated a "toss up" by Real Clear Politics.

McAdams currently has more cash on hand than his opponent, Congresswoman Mia Love, and as mayor, he already represents 85% of the District and is well liked by those that know him (+33% approval). The race is getting national media attention as the race to watch in Utah and was ranked as one of Politico's Top 10 House Races to Watch in 2018.

Max Rose (NY-11)

Rose continues to run a strong campaign in New York’s 11th District, maintaining a 3 to 1 COH advantage over his opponent.

Rose in the news:

NYPOST: Max Rose on Leave from Campaign Trail to Train With National Guard https://nypost.com/2018/08/04/max-rose-on-leave-from-campaign-trail-to-train-with- national-guard/

Staten Island Advance: Max Rose takes on Mayor De Blasio - Right before Mayor Bill de Blasio set up shop on Staten Island for the week, congressional candidate and fellow Democrat Max Rose slammed him for not taking action on several local issues. https://www.silive.com/news/2018/07/democrat_max_rose_pushes_mayor.html

Mac Schneider (ND-AL)

Mac Schneider has been building support throughout North Dakota by focusing on kitchen table issues like ensuring everyone has access to quality health care and stopping Trump's trade war. Mac recently called on North Dakota's Attorney General to withdraw from a lawsuit that would eliminate protections for over 315,000 North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions. You can listen to Mac speak about the importance of quality health care here. Last week Mac hosted a roundtable with farmers and ranchers to discuss President Trump's dangerous trade war and other issues facing North Dakota's agricultural industry. The campaign's first post-primary debate is this evening.

Abigail Spanberger (VA-7)

Abigail is up on broadcast and cable with her first general election ad: "Values". Additionally, there have been several notable ratings changes. CNN, Cook Political, and Larry Saboto's Crystal Ball all now rate VA-7 as toss-up.

Abigail in the news:

. In Virginia, women form an insurgency to try to topple Republican Dave Brat, The New York Times, August 9 . 'He's way too conservative': Freedom Caucus members on the hot seat, Politico, August 4 . Letter to the Editor, Brat has become what he campaign against, Kellen Squire in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 7 . CNN Key Races: Path to House majority comes into focus as a dozen races move toward Democrats, CNN, July 29 . VIDEO: Meet the Candidate Running to Unseat GOP Rep. Dave Brat, Bloomberg TV, July 27 . This Democrat is Running as the Tough Guy, Bloomberg Opinion, 7/22/18 . Democrats Find Not-so-Secret Weapon in Trump Controversies, AP, 7/20/18

Clarke Tucker (AR-2)

Clarke Tucker, Democratic candidate for Arkansas's 2nd Congressional District, today released a new ad in the competitive House race in Central Arkansas. From family to baseball, from his baptism to his high school, from his fight for healthcare protections to his own fight against cancer, Tucker walks viewers through his deep community roots in Central Arkansas and shows why he is seeking federal office.

View the ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCBpo4sCW_c

Jeff Van Drew (NJ –2)

As of the most recent filings, Sen. Jeff Van Drew held a 10-1 COH advantage over his opponent, Seth Grossman. However, Grossman has since hired a professional campaign staff and has begun fundraising in earnest. Jeff was also recently endorsed by the American Nurses Association, and continues to run a very strong campaign in South Jersey.

Denny Wolff (PA-9)

A recent Anzalone Liszt Grove Research poll shows the electorate in PA-9 leans Republican but the top-of-the-ticket is very competitive, with only a very modest Republican lean in the governor’s race (46% Wolf / 51% Wagner). The poll shows that, while Denny starts off down 10 on the vote (41% to 51%), that margin is cut in half when basic positive communication for both candidates is replicated and moves the vote to a very competitive 46% Wolff / 51% Meuser margin. Campaign polling also shows that Denny’s background as a dairy farmer, strong bipartisan credentials, and ability to contrast his commitment to protecting seniors’ healthcare to Meuser’s record of Medicare fraud puts us in position to not just keep this race close but to leverage the strong political climate and flip this seat from Red to Blue.

Blue Dog Endorsed Candidates on DCCC's Red to Blue Program:

Anthony Brindisi (NY22) Dan McCready (NC-09) Paul Davis (KS-2) Max Rose (NY-11) Gretchen Driskell (MI-7) Abigail Spanberger (VA-7) Brendan Kelly (IL-12) Clarke Tucker (AR-2) Kathy Manning (NC-13) Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2) Ben McAdams (UT-04)