The nation's second round of primaries this Tuesday features congressional and Senate challengers who are among the growing ranks of political hopefuls trying to make campaign finance reform an issue.
As the Senate began debate Friday on a measure to reform campaign finance laws, underdog Republican candidates in Pennsylvania and Nebraska were trying to gain voter support by branding as hypocrites their incumbent opponents who publicly espouse reform but refuse to abide by their own positions.In Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, Republican Audrie Schaller has won support from some Democrats and editorial writers who say she has correctly accused Rep. Peter Kostmayer, D-Pa., of failing to honor a previous campaign pledge to limit contributions.
In Nebraska, Republican Senate challenger Hal Daub contends his standing in the polls has risen since he began asserting that incumbent Sen. James Exon, D-Neb., relies heavily on political action committee contributions while supporting limits on PAC donations. Exon, running for his third term, also has expressed support for two-term limits.
Both challengers acknowledge tough fights against well financed Democratic machines.
David Keene, a Republican consultant, said Americans are becoming increasingly annoyed with the perception that their representatives can be bought by special interest groups. "Since early 1989 you have had an increasing public discontent with Congress and with incumbents that has gone beyond anything we have seen in the past," Keene said.
Many candidates, such as Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones, are hoping to capitalize off the mistrust.
Jones, the Democratic challenger in the state's May 22 primary, called Republican incumbent Rep. Larry Craig "the PAC man of Idaho" for collecting half of his $333,000 receipts from special interest groups.
"Members of Congress shamelessly panhandle for the special interest dollars, selling bits and pieces of their souls and their constitutents' interests in the process," Jones said.