Mike Coffman Sells His Soul To The NRCC

19 Comments

by: Colorado Pols

Republican uber-strategist Karl Rove, Rep. Mike Coffman.

A fascinating report in this morning’s Washington Post about a “contract” that a number of vulnerable Republican members of Congress have agreed to sign in order to obtain assistance in the upcoming elections from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC):

Two dozen House Republicans have agreed to privately detail their “legislative strategy” to party operatives, promising to offer “political justifications” for their goals in Congress.

The Daily 202 obtained a copy of the three-page contract that the National Republican Congressional Committee requires members to sign if they want to participate in its Patriot Program. The initiative, designed to protect potentially vulnerable incumbents, brings with it special attention and access to mounds of campaign cash. But strings are attached.

One of the 13 requirements is to submit an off-year “campaign plan” that includes: “Detailed, written legislative strategy that provides short-, intermediate-, and long-term legislative goals, including political justifications for those goals.”

“Be sure to include local issues unique to the district or region,” the contract says. “Complete a Patriot Policy Priorities worksheet to be used by NRCC staff to evaluate legislative priorities for the current Congress and to promote and advocate for those priorities where appropriate.”

Here’s a link to the contract obtained by the Washington Post. It should be noted that many of the provisions in this contract, like committing to fundraising targets and keeping off-year spending at a reasonable level, are common-sense campaign best practices that any smart political strategist would want candidates to abide by. Another provision requiring candidates to use vendors who meet the NRCC’s “standards,” meaning the NRCC’s handpicked vendors, is in fact quite dubious–but more to political insiders than the general public.

Where the NRCC’s contract gets truly dicey for its vulnerable incumbent signers, especially Colorado’s most vulnerable incumbent Congressman Mike Coffman, is the promise to detail “legislative goals” for NRCC staff to “evaluate.” Given that Rep. Coffman has tried as hard as he could to put daylight between himself and the Republican party line on issues like immigration reform, LGBT rights, and even abortion, having his legislative agenda pre-cleared by national Republicans makes Coffman’s “change of heart” since redistricting look as contrived as Democrats have always insisted it was from the beginning.

But at the end of the day, there’s got to be a return on, you know, “the investment.”

19 thoughts on “Mike Coffman Sells His Soul To The NRCC”

Phoenix Rising says:

September 3, 2015 at 10:44 am

This could be dangerous for Coffman, but if he manages to strike the right balance, it could also be a big boon. The NRCC is almost certainly asking for these surveys to figure out if endangered Republicans are worth spending money on – not to find out just how conservative they are, but to find out if they can win in their districts.

The chair of the NRCC is Rep. Greg Walden, who is a relative moderate in the Republican caucus, especially compared to Coffman (113th House DW-NOMINATE rankings, numbered liberal to conservative: Walden #252, Coffman #350). I'm thinking that a measured response by Coffman could do him worlds of good.

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1. JeffcoBlue says:
  
  September 3, 2015 at 10:52 am
  
  I'm thinking that nuance may be lost beneath the words "RNC approved agenda." Actually I'm hoping for it.
  
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DaftPunk says:

September 3, 2015 at 10:57 am

Mike Coffman has a soul?

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1. JeffcoBlue says:
  
  September 3, 2015 at 11:05 am
  
  +666
  
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  1. Diogenesdemar says:
    
    September 3, 2015 at 3:39 pm
    
    Probably closer to $6.66 …
    
    .. and, even at that, an awful bargain!
    
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MichaelBowman says:

September 3, 2015 at 11:30 am

A fun little skip down memory lane…

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OrangeFree says:

September 3, 2015 at 11:41 am

Campaigning wing of the party promises to support vulnerable candidate with politically motivated legislative strategy (i.e. getting a pass on supporting/proposing things that would be beneficial to winning the election, but that don’t necessarily line up with Party Doctrine) during election year, news at 11.

Sorry, this isn't some scandal. You can also guarantee the DSCC will be doing the same with Bennet. This is how politics works, folks. This shouldn't be a surprise to, well, anyone.

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1. bullshit! says:
  
  September 3, 2015 at 11:45 am
  
  Sure, man, but this story is about the NRCC and Coffman. Let me know when the WaPo has an equivalent story about Bennet.
  
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  1. OrangeFree says:
    
    September 3, 2015 at 2:07 pm
    
    My point is, this isn't anything worth blogging about, or even caring about. This is just standard operating procedure. Only reason there's no DCCC/DSCC story as well is because the Dems are obviously more adept at controlling their paper trail.
    
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    1. bullshit! says:
      
      September 3, 2015 at 2:17 pm
      
      Sorry to point out that the Washington Post does not agree with you.
      
      🙂
      
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      1. OrangeFree says:
        
        September 3, 2015 at 9:23 pm
        
        What WaPo does with their column inches is their businesses, still doesn't make it a story worthy of getting all hot and bothered about.
        
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bullshit! says:

September 3, 2015 at 11:44 am

Is Bill Cadman on the list of NRCC approved vendors? Hope he's getting a piece of the action.

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BlueCat says:

September 3, 2015 at 11:53 am

Sorry. This strikes me as very "meh".

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1. bullshit! says:
  
  September 3, 2015 at 11:56 am
  
  It won't decide the election, but I think it's a useful data point.
  
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2. Moderatus says:
  
  September 3, 2015 at 4:56 pm
  
  For once we agree, BlueCat.
  
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  1. BlueCat says:
    
    September 4, 2015 at 9:45 am
    
    Time for a shower.
    
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Moderatus says:

September 3, 2015 at 1:13 pm

Let's make a list of all the special interests Morgan Carroll has sold HER soul to, shall we? Trial lawyers, abortionists, and unions. I guarantee they have gotten their commitments from Carroll or she wouldn't be in the race. Didn't Morgan have a big meeting in Washington right before she got into the race?

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1. Diogenesdemar says:
  
  September 3, 2015 at 3:43 pm
  
  Economics 101, supply and demand … the major's soul has no value, you pathetic commie!
  
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2. BlueCat says:
  
  September 4, 2015 at 9:57 am
  
  The trouble with the Johnny does it too argument? Whether true or false, two things: One, it takes as a given that whoever you are supposedly defending in this way is just as bad as Johnny, simply not worse. Hardly an argument for against either party. Two, offering such a weak tea defense demonstrates that you've really got nothing better. Johnny does it too is always an argument for losers and whiners.
  
  Hope this cancels out our "agreement".
  
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