Aren't they forgetting the Florida 22nd?

Bloggers Ed Morissey, John Hawkins, and Lorie Byrd are colaborating on a new website called Rightroots. This is in order to support Republicans in critical house races this fall.

I checked out the website and was surprised to see that the Florida 22nd and Clay Shaw wasn't on the list.


US House of Representatives
Raised
Michele Bachmann (MN-06)
$ 75.00
Chuck Blasdel (OH-6)
$ 75.00
Max Burns (GA-12)
$ 75.00
John Gard (WI-08)
$ 75.00
Diane Irey (PA-12)
$ 225.00
Jeff Lamberti (IA-03)
$ 75.00
Ray Meier (NY-24)
$ 75.00
David McSweeney (IL-08)
$ 75.00
Rick O'Donnell (CO-07)
$ 75.00
Peter Roskam (IL-06)
$ 75.00
Scott Tipton (CO-3)
$ 75.00
Van Taylor (TX-17)
$ 175.00
Chris Wakim (WV-01)
$ 75.00
Mike Whalen (IA-01)

Where is Clay Shaw? I've written about his campaign, here and here for example. He is my congressman. It isn't just TFM who thinks the Shaw race is critical for determining the outcome of who has control of the house. This was reported by AP -

FORT LAUDERDALE - Republican Rep. Clay Shaw is on the cusp of realizing a political dream, transforming his 25 years of service and clout into one of the most powerful jobs in Washington.

Too bad most everything out of the nation's capital these days amounts to a nightmare for GOP lawmakers.

President Bush's approval ratings are sagging, gas prices and U.S. deaths in Iraq are rising, scandal is sowing discontent and a Medicare prescription drug plan is creating confusion. Events largely out of Shaw's control but closely linked to Republican rule could determine his fate in the November elections.

"I'm a Republican, but I think Bush is doing a horrible job," said Steve Rowe, a 44-year-old financial adviser, as he rushed into a crowded restaurant in this beach town where Shaw served as mayor in the 1970s. "I'd be very open-minded to vote Democrat this time."

National Republicans recognize that Shaw is in a tough fight in a district that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry narrowly won in 2004. President Bush is slated to headline a private fundraiser for Shaw on Monday at a Fort Lauderdale home, with tickets priced at $2,000 to $4,200 per person. The president will also join Shaw at a Medicare event the next day.

Democrats recruited state Sen. Ron Klein to challenge Shaw in the 22nd Congressional District that roughly stretches from the ultra-rich Republican stronghold of Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by about 22,000 out of 445,787 voters as of 2004, the latest numbers available.

So we're not just talking my opinion. I find Rightroots omission very curious. Shaw could very well lose in November and to me I think Rightroots has made a mistake about the Shaw-Klein race. The inclusion of Diane Irey and the PA-12 seems to be wishful thinking. John Murtha hasn't been seriously contested in the best part of a decade. To TFM it seems more like a case of political fantasizing because of Murtha's outspokenness rather than clear political rationale. Murtha will be back in 2007 barring death, and I'd bet any of the 6 bloggers at rightroots $100 if they want to take me up on it. Any fundraising for Irey is better spent elsewhere.

In the meantime I've written Ed and Lorie asking for their take on Rightroots decision making. I'll update this post if needed.

Update- Lorie has written back. She says Rightroots decided to back non-incumbents because of the advantage incumbents have in fundraising.

True enough but any dollars spent on Diane Irey is a waste of Republican resources when OTHER races matter. Two emails from Lorie seems to show me conservative bloggers are lost in their beat John Murtha fantasy. Go ahead and try it, I'll have the last laugh in November.

Open Post- Bright & Early, Third World County, Right Wing Nation,