Second, rumor is former Rep. Ken Lucas (D) will be taking on Geoff Davis. At least, that's what Southern Political Report said yesterday. Not only will that give Davis a challenger, but it will propel KY-04 to top-tier. Of course, it's not official yet, just a rumor.

Most of the people on this list are totally unbeatable anyway, other than a few (Dent, Latham, and of course Davis if Lucas runs).

Very difficult to recruit good solid candidates that know they are going to get their asses kicked.

That is why, as you know probably better than anyone, I created The Insurgent Campaign. With the link below Grassrooters can get some information that can help create a campaign that won't get a lick of Party support but still have substantial impact on '08....and '06 while still recogizing that a victory, barring a miracle is out of reach.

How? By focusing on increasing Absentee Ballot registration and new Dem registration...by concentrating on creating better communication with existing and new donors...by working with volunteers to have fully trained teams and fully detailed districts before the next General Elections where every vote will count towards the Electoral College total.

Imagine a two year process of increasing registration and absentee ballot registration!

Do you know that Oregon only has mail-in ballots now? No precinct voting whatsoever.

And what do you think was the voter turnout in the last General Election? 45%, 50%?  60% in CA-48 in 2004 was considered remarkable!

In Oregon is 90% or better!

So is organizing a campaign for the purpose of making sure we can turn our vote in '08, not to mention '06, valuable? Yes!

Secondly, even if nothing new comes up, and the challenger is defeated, we don't "lose". Having a candidate with more name recognition and experience is a "win" even thought they aren't in office...yet.
when the incumbent retires and the seat is open we have a much better shot. Even if there is no retirement, than we have a better shot in two years.
434 a great goal!

Indiana filing deadling:  Feb. 17, 2006

I agree that we need strong challengers everywhere to build the Democratic brand, etc., but let's not get carried away by thinking IA-04 could become competitive.

Act Blue also has Norman "Bill" Williams running in Arkansas' 3rd CD.  One of the Republican candidates in Arkansas has the unfortunate name of Andy Mayberry,  He must have had to put up with jokes his whole life but will be the butt of a lot more this year.

Many more candidates are shown as possible or at least considering a run.

Radanovich may finally feel a threat coming on
   John Ellis THE FRESNO BEE

Is the underlying theme of a fundraising letter from Rep. George Radanovich to his supporters that of a politician saying he's scared for his job?

Or is the three-page missive intentionally filled with scary language to help shore up the Mariposa Republican's campaign coffers?
Maybe it's a little bit of both.

Radanovich was swept into office during the 1994 Republican revolution. Since then, he's never had a serious challenger -- and never won less than 65% of the vote -- while serving a safe Republican district.

Now, the six-term incumbent suddenly seems panicked over a Democratic Party challenger who hasn't even officially announced that he's running.

Radanovich is around more, his profile is higher and his fundraising efforts are increasing, even as his district -- which stretches from north-central Fresno County, along the San Joaquin Valley's east side, to near Stockton -- maintains the same solid Republican registration advantage.

The aforementioned challenger is T.J. Cox, a chemical engineer and business owner who lives in Fresno. The rumor mill has him spending $1 million of his own money, which is hundreds of thousands more than all Radanovich's past opponents combined.

Carlos Rodriguez, Radanovich's political consultant, sees the letter as nothing more than prudent planning.

"This letter is just the first step in what we expect to be a spirited campaign," he says. "We take any and all candidates seriously. To not do that would be irresponsible of me as the candidate's campaign consultant."

The letter -- sent a whole year before any election that would pit the two against each other -- is straight out of Republican Politics 101.

In 25 paragraphs, it uses the word "liberal" 11 times. Three of those uses are "ultra-liberal." It brings up House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean.

It says Pelosi "supported taxpayers paying for needles for drug-addicts and expanded welfare benefits for immigrants." It mentions that Cox was involved in Dean's failed presidential campaign.

It ties Cox to John Hutson, making multiple references to Hutson as a "union boss."

Hutson laughed at the characterization. "I don't boss anybody," he says.

Hutson has union ties. He's financial secretary of the Fresno, Madera, Kings and Tulare Counties Building and Construction Trades Council.

But his primary job is as a management negotiator for the National Electrical Contractors Association.

As for Cox, he hasn't decided whether he'll run -- let alone spend $1 million -- but if he does, supporters plan to use this letter to push Cox's legitimacy as a Radanovich challenger.

Radanovich has much higher name identification and incumbency on his side, but also just $252,000 in the bank, as of Sept. 30.

"I must show a big increase in my campaign war chest in the next 30-60 days, to make Mr. Cox and his liberal friends think twice about taking us on before they run a campaign against me," the letter reads.

Radanovich's letter serves a dual purpose: It kicks off his campaign to defeat Cox, and it attempts to raise cash.

That's not the news.

The news is that Radanovich even felt the letter was necessary. In the past, he's simply ignored his challengers.

The columnist can be reached at jellis@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6320.