Research Briefing

Embattled DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Facing Growing Questions About His Fundraising, Organization And Leadership

FORMER VA GOV. DOUGLAS WILDER CALLED ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO FIRE TIM KAINE AS DNC CHAIRMAN. “I am an admirer of Tim Kaine, whom I backed in his current position and as one of my successors as Virginia governor and even recommended for the vice presidency. But a spate of recent losses in races that Democrats should have won underscores what has been obvious to me for a long time: The chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee is the wrong job for him.” (L. Douglas Wilder, “Wilder: Obama needs to fire DNC Chairman Kaine, W.H. advisers,” Politico, 2/9/10)

IT’S NO SURPRISE CONSIDERING THE DNC UNDER KAINE HAS BEEN “A DISASTER”

Former DNC Member Steven Ybarra: “The DNC is a disaster.” (Peter Nicholas, “Obama Tries To Rally Democrats, Defends Healthcare Overhaul,” The Los Angeles Times, 2/7/10)

While He Was Splitting Time Between DNC Chairmanship And VA Governorship, Kaine Criticized For “Not Doing Either Of His Jobs Very Well.” “While top Obama aides have been guiding the direction of the DNC, Kaine has been spending as much as half a week on the road for his DNC duties, including fundraising and private DNC events, according to travel schedules released by the governor’s office. As a result, he’s come under criticism for not doing either of his jobs very well in recent months.” (Holly Bailey, “Missing In Action,” Newsweek, 10/21/09)

Recent Study Found That DNC-Run Organizing For America Is “Not Targeting Congress Effectively” And Not Effecting Outcome Of Legislative Debates. “Congressional staff in both parties say OFA has mobilized constituent lobbying, but do not say OFA was a major or powerful force on Capitol Hill in its first year. Congressional aides do not think OFA is changing Members’ votes.  ... While noting that OFA faces a large challenge in converting a campaign network into lobbying activities, some former Obama campaign staffers say OFA’s programs are  not targeting Congress effectively, or providing sufficiently diverse engagement opportunities for OFA members.” (Ari Melber, “Year One Of Organizing For America,” techPresident, 1/10)

DESPITE DEMOCRATS HOLDING WHITE HOUSE & CONGRESS, DNC FUNDRAISING BARELY KEEPING PACE WITH RNC

Kaine Allies Claim His Lack Of National Presence Due To Focus On Fundraising. “A DNC official says Kaine has been concentrating on replenishing the party’s coffers in advance of the 2010 elections. ‘We haven’t seen the need to have him out there when his time is better spent doing fund-raising,’ a DNC official, who declined to be named, told NEWSWEEK” (Holly Bailey, “Missing In Action,” Newsweek, 10/21/09)

But Despite Controlling White House And Obama’s Fundraising Network, DNC “Only Running Neck And Neck” With RNC In Fundraising. “But, in a criticism that also dogged Howard Dean, some Democrats have questioned Kaine’s fundraising. Although, on average, the DNC is outpacing what it raised during the last off-year election, the committee is still only running neck and neck with the RNC, in spite of having access to Obama’s fundraising list.” (Holly Bailey, “Missing In Action,” Newsweek, 10/21/09)

With White House And Congress, DNC Raised $81.1 Million In 2009 Compared To $81.3 Million Raised By The RNC. (Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10; Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10)

• RNC Even Received $16 Million More In “Unitemized” Small Donor Contributions Than DNC. (Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10; Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10)

DNC Ended 2009 With $8.6 Million Cash On Hand, Barely Edging Out RNC With $8.4 Million. (Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10; Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10)

• The DNC Also Ended The Year $4.6 Million In Debt, While The RNC Has None. (Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10; Federal Election Commission Website, www.fec.gov, Accessed 2/1/10)

Kaine Has Had To Answer For DNC’s “Surprisingly Weak” Fundraising. “In the wake of the Democratic National Committee’s surprisingly weak February fund raising, Democratic insiders are questioning the unusual arrangement that has Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine serving as a part-time chairman until his term as governor ends next January.” (Kenneth P. Vogel, “Kaine Cash Haul Leaves Dems Wanting,” Politico, 3/22/09)

• “‘I am not going to tell you it’s OK,’ another DNC member tells NEWSWEEK. ‘Everybody is concerned about it.’” ” (Holly Bailey, “Missing In Action,” Newsweek, 10/21/09)

KAINE COULDN’T EVEN MUSTER DEEDS WIN IN HIS OWN HOME STATE

Kaine Called Virginia “The Perfect Bellwether State.” “‘Chuck Todd [chief political analyst for NBC News] has said Virginia is the perfect bellwether state, and I really believe that,’ Kaine said.”  (Ray Reed, “Kaine Sees Tougher Fight, More Negative Tone In Governor’s Race,” The News & Advance, 9/30/09)

Given Deeds’ Loss In Kaine’s Homestate, “Many Will Wonder How Effective A Chairman He Can Be.” “Aside from Deeds and his Republican opponent, Robert F. McDonnell, no one has as much riding on this year’s gubernatorial election as Kaine. In Virginia, Kaine is under pressure to help elect Deeds to cement his legacy as a popular governor and to extend his party’s recent electoral successes. Nationally, Democrats will be counting on Kaine, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, to deliver his own state and provide a political boost to President Obama. If he can’t manage that, many will wonder how effective a chairman he can be.” (Anita Kumar, “Deeds’s Success Seen As Crucial For Kaine,” The Washington Post, 8/23/09)

“[K]aine’s second-largest individual donor, close friend Sheila Johnson, announced she was endorsing McDonnell. Randal J. Kirk, Kaine’s largest donor, said he remains neutral.” (Rosalind S. Helderman, “Kaine’s Not On The Ballot, Just On The Spot,” The Washington Post, 7/30/09)

“‘There’s going to be a lot of Democrats saying “Why should we listen to Tim Kaine if he couldn’t hold serve in his backyard?”‘ said [VA Political Analyst Robert] Holsworth.” (Jim Nolan, “Kaine’s DNC Role Has Risks,” Richmond Times Dispatch, 7/5/09)

AND AS KAINE STRUGGLES, DEMOCRATS ARE GETTING “NERVOUS”

Politico: “[D]NC members voiced frustration about their fortunes and, with a measure of urgency, plotted about how best to navigate through what is shaping up to be one of their most difficult election cycles in recent history.” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)

“Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) was making the rounds to the regional party sessions with a frank message that, as she said in the Eastern region meeting, 2010 is going to be ‘a challenge to us at every turn.’” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)

Democratic Governors Association Chair Delaware Gov. Jack Markell: “It’s obviously a challenging landscape… We’ve got tough races in the House, tough races in the Senate, and for that matter it’s going to be tough races for governorships.” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)

New Hampshire Democratic Party Vice Chair State Sen. Martha Fuller Clark: “We are nervous — we are all nervous.” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)

New York Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs: “The mood generally is very sour.” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)

“New Jersey Democratic executive director Rob Angelo lamented that some moderate Democratic elected officials in his state are ‘freaking out’ over being pegged as overly liberal heading into November.” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)

• “Angelo said after the meeting that he was referring to John Adler, the freshman Democrat from a suburban district in his state. ‘Certainly people are nervous,’ he said. ‘The momentum cycle shifts so quickly now.’” (Jonathan Martin & Alex Isenstadt, “November Chill Seizes DNC Meeting,” Politico, 2/6/10)