Eight Republican House members targeted for defeat by the Club for Growth are turning to House Speaker John Boehner and GOP donors for help in an effort to keep their jobs.
Several of the lawmakers are scheduled to confer with Boehner next week to urge him to do whatever possible inside and outside Congress to help them avoid primary challenges,
Politico reported Friday.
A few of them, including heavyweight fundraiser Aaron Schock of Illinois, are seeking early, maximum donations from corporate PACs to show any potential challengers that they’re loaded for bear.
The threatened Republicans, whose voting records aren't considered conservative enough for the limited government philosophy of the Club, are also searching for early endorsements from influential business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to Schock, the other seven Club targets include Reps. Larry Bucshon of Indiana, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Steven Palazzo of Mississippi, Martha Roby of Alabama, Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, and Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.
Bucshon told Politico the outreach to Boehner was just an effort to keep him informed.
"We just want to bring it to his attention, and I’m sure he knows about it," he said. "It's a good idea anytime, no matter what organization you are in, when there are issues, to talk to your boss. And that’s all it is."
The Club for Growth, however, isn’t worried about the members seeking out their leader.
"A PR campaign doesn’t change your voting record," club communications director Barney Keller told Politico. "If they don’t want to be highlighted on a website calling for them to be primaried, they should just vote better."
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