Washington GOP hopeful slams Seattle, Seahawks and Starbucks over coronavirus response
The race for Rep. Bill Posey’s House seat got underway with another round of intense competition Tuesday to replace the Republican congressman whose retirement from Congress has left the chamber and the nation in an awkward position — and a fresh challenge to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
House Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky appeared to have secured the GOP nod, the latest signs that Republicans are taking over at the top of the Republican National Committee this month. But the House GOP is looking to expand the race with the addition of new voters, including a diverse group that could make or break its chances with voters of color.
In another sign of the GOP’s efforts to expand and diversify the party, the party’s top fundraiser, Paul Erickson of Michigan, raised $8.9 million in the 24-hour period since he was tapped last week to raise money for the House GOP campaign arm.
Erickson said Tuesday that he has raised a record $31 million in a single 24-hour period, putting him in the top 3 percent of congressional fundraising. The record-breaking 24-hour period came during the week when House Republicans were in a holding pattern under a partial shutdown, and after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s first 100 days in office.
“We’re going to make sure the GOP stays the dominant party in the House for a long time,” Erickson said as he introduced a $1 million fundraising appeal for House Republicans.
Erickson also said he was raising money at $1 million per minute to help Republicans “move forward.”
Washington Republicans also have big plans for fundraising when they return to Washington.
In addition to raising money, Republicans will focus their fundraising dollars on several House races in California, where Republicans are expected to capture at least a few seats.
The candidates who are likely to have the biggest impact on the House Republican’s plans for next year are the candidates who are more moderate and less likely to be part of the party’s ideological “Freedom Caucus.”
If Democrats do well in California, as expected, the House Republicans may have to scale back their ambitious agenda and focus on some of the most competitive states in the country, such as Arizona, Colorado and Florida.
In such a scenario,
