November 30, 2011 11:56 PM UTC

Coffman, TIpton Make DCCC's "Most Vulnerable" Hit List

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• by: Colorado Pols

DCCC “robocall” targeting Rep. Mike Coffman.

From the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s release today:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today launched a new paid and grassroots “Drive for 25” campaign to hold 30 vulnerable Republicans accountable for forcing the Super Committee to fail by demanding more tax breaks for billionaires while insisting the Medicare guarantee be eliminated. The campaign includes robo calls, live phone calls, online advertising and an online action center where voters can write letters to the editor about House Republicans’ priorities. The calls begin in targeted districts today and urge voters to call their Member of Congress directly.

Each of the targeted Republicans signed conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform pledge to protect tax breaks for the ultra wealthy at the expense of the middle class and seniors. Leading House Republicans are now opposing extending the payroll tax cut for middle income Americans.

“The Super Committee debate in Washington unmasked Republicans’ real priorities – more tax breaks for billionaires and Big Oil at the expense of the Medicare guarantee for seniors and creating jobs for the middle class,” said DCCC Chairman Steve Israel. “Republicans want seniors who depend on a Medicare guarantee to be the first to sacrifice while billionaires wouldn’t have to sacrifice a penny. House Republicans are going to face a chilly reception from voters for trying to defend the indefensible.”

CNN with the GOP response:

Responding to the phone call campaign, the National Republican Congressional Committee said it was Democrats who would be held responsible for failures in Congress.

“Democrats are the only party in Washington who cut $500 billion from Medicare to pay for their government healthcare takeover,” NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay said. “No matter how hard they try, they will never be able to escape the wrath of voters on this issue or on their job-killing agenda that has made a bad economy even worse.”

Rep. Scott Tipton has been on the DCCC’s target list practically from the moment he was elected, but the new inclusion of the once-safe Rep. Mike Coffman in the DCCC’s list of high-priority seats is an important development. The Hill states the obvious:

The DCCC’s target list largely reflects freshman Republicans in swing districts or those whose districts have or could be made more Democratic in redistricting.