Vice President Dick Cheney has just announced a $200-a-plate (and $2,100-a-photograph) fundraiser for ultraconservative state Senator Adrian Smith, who's running for Congress NE-03 ( Here's the story in the Nebraska State Paper ). This is the sixth most Republican district in the entire country, with a partisan index of R +24.
Why would the national Republican party be sending in the big guns to one of their safest seats, even after the Club for Growth has already pumped an impressive $390,000 into Smith's coffers? Because, against all odds and expectations, a political newcomer by the name of Scott Kleeb has suddenly come within striking distance of scoring the first Democratic victory this district has ever experienced. (for a quick overview of Kleeb's credentials and campaign, see my earlier diary at: Scott Kleeb and the future of red state Democrats )
More after the flip
For all the buzz going about the netroots concerning Dean's 50-State Strategy, the sad truth is that the majority of the national party remains skeptical (at best) of Dean's vision and are eager to return things to the way they were in preparation for the presidential campaign of 2008. Perhaps there'd be fewer skeptics if everyone in the party would follow the lead of USA Today correspondent Jill Lawrence and actually join us here on the ground in one of the reddest states in the Union to see just how the DNC's investment in Nebraska has energized our base and helped rebuild our crumbling partisan infrastructure ( Democrats are hopeful in the prairies ).
Hell, Kleeb and the Nebraska Democrats have already succeeded in making a believer out of Cheney: if he didn't take the 50-State Strategy seriously, he wouldn't be here. He'd be out raising money in Connecticut or Philadelphia, not in a district that gave his ticker over 70% of the vote in '04. And if Kleeb can make a believer out of Cheney, he has the power to convert Rahm and Chuck and the rest of the Democratic establishment, as well. In fact, Rahm was quoted in a recent edition of the Hill as saying:
<quote>"His campaign has all the makings of what could be success," DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) said, adding that if Kleeb continues to raise money and show progress in internal polls the committee might send money his way.</quote>
Rahm's coming around, but like he said: unless Kleeb is able to maintain his competitive fundraising (as of the last filing, Kleeb had $127,648 on hand, not too far from Smith's $188,917), this race is never going to really materialize on the national radar. We can make the difference here. Even a relatively narrow defeat for Kleeb would be a ringing victory for the 50-State Strategy and might very well help insure Dean's vision for many cycles to come. We can help make that happen.
Kleeb is asking for a $21 donation from all interested parties to help him combat the proceeds from the Cheney fundraiser. This is our chance. This is our chance to make an historic victory on behalf of the Democratic Party and the 50-State Strategy. Carpe diem.
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