Replies to post #204913 on Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[BOREALIS]

GOP Plans To Dig Up Dirt On Opponents

September 10, 2006 12:07 p.m. EST
Megan Shannon - All Headline News Staff Writer

Washington DC (AHN) - Republicans admitted to their plans to spent exorbitant amounts of time and money to exploit Democratic House and Senate candidates to keep their seats and keep power in Congress.

The National Republican Committee will spend time going through records trying to find damaging information on Democratic opponents. They will also spend 90 percent of their $50 million advertising budget on "negative ads."

Rep. Tom Cole recommended that vulnerable incumbents spent $20,000 on research to find negative information on their opponents.

NRCC Chairman Rep. Thomas M. Reymolds said, "Opposition research is power. Opposition research is the key to defining untested opponents."

Internal polling shows Republicans could keep loses at six to 10 in the House and two or three in the Senate. According to reports, Democrats need 15 seats in the House and six in the Senate to regain control.

Republicans plan to weaken less known candidates by localizing races.

Cole said, "When you run in an adverse political environment, you try to localize and personalize the race as much as you can."