WASHINGTON — Environmentalists, labor and women’s groups that spent more than $29 million to help House Democrats in 2012 have put up barely a quarter of that amount this year. That’s sparking grumbling among party strategists.
Democrats, already in the minority, are in jeopardy of losing at least a dozen seats on Tuesday. An onslaught of outside Republican spending has overwhelmed incumbents once considered on track to re-election. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Congressional Leadership Fund and American Action Network have spent nearly $10 million each targeting Democratic candidates and seats.
A desperate appeal from the chairman of the campaign committee two weeks ago failed to sway the Democratic-leaning groups.
“You make a plea for the cavalry, and the cavalry doesn’t show up. You fix your own bayonets and you charge, and that’s what we’ve done,” said Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
