Perhaps the biggest pull is coming from liberal groups who are lobbying moderate Democrats on their impending vote. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, and the Service Employees International Union are the biggest groups in this area. SEIU spent $100,000 in the NY-23 race for successful Democratic candidate Bill Owens, and the group is prepared to drop even more than that when 2010 rolls around.
The man in charge of getting Democrats elected to Congress says their money may be well-spent. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) said last week that he was confident in his party’s chances – as long as health care reform was passed.
“The political fortunes of the entire Caucus are tied together in getting this passed,” he said at a conference at Bloomberg’s Washington Summit.