The newest Dem recruit, Pete Festersen
Republicans' refusal to keep the federal government running has, as Democrats have been hoping and predicting, yielded the party's first big post-shutdown recruit. Omaha City Councilor Pete Festersen, who had actually declined a bid against GOP Rep. Lee Terry over the summer, has now changed his mind and
decided to run after all. Festersen said
he was reconsidering just a few days ago, after Terry's now-infamous remark that "
dang straight" he was going to keep collecting his paycheck in spite of the shutdown.
Festersen's move gives Democrats a real shot at picking up this Omaha-based seat next year, particularly since Terry won by a narrow 51-49 margin against an underfunded opponent in 2012. And he might also inspire other candidates to step forward. According to DCCC chair Steve Israel, Democrats expect a new contender to announce soon in AR-02 against sophomore GOP Rep. Tim Griffin. And, says Israel, candidates sound newly interested in WA-08, where Rep. Dave Reichert faced down three tough challenges from 2006 to 2010, and long-neglected NJ-02, where Rep. Frank LoBiondo has usually skated. (Both are seats Barack Obama won.)
As for the latter, The Hill suggests it could be attorney Bill Hughes, Jr., who is the son of ex-Rep. Bill Hughes. (The elder Hughes served for two decades until 1995, when he was succeeded by LoBiondo.) Last month, Hughes said he'd talked to the D-Trip, though he hasn't made up his mind yet. Another possibility might be state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, who's been discussed as a potential option in past cycles but first has to win re-election next month.
Talk, of course, is one thing; actual recruitment is a different story. But there's no doubt that Democrats are feeling energized by GOP intransigence over the shutdown, and it could pay real electoral dividends.