Griffith, Hurt Make Underfunded 20 List

Over on National Review's web site, Jim Geraghty runs down 20 GOP challengers who are running in districts that Bush and McCain won but that are currently held by Democratic congressmen.

Rob Hurt, Virginia’s 5th district: A recent Survey USA poll offered the jaw-dropping result that Hurt is ahead of first-term Democrat Tom Perriello, 58 percent to 35 percent. But incumbency has its privileges and advantages, and Perriello is sitting on more than $1.7 million. Hurt’s most recent filing shows him with a bit over $215,000. In terms of advertising cost, this district is in the middle of the pack.

Morgan Griffith, Virginia’s 9th district: One would expect the majority leader in the Virginia house of delegates to have a solid fundraising base, and Griffith has raised a quite respectable $402,000. But he has only $297,000 left, and his opponent, incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher, has been stockpiling a massive fund to help in a tough year — he has more than $2 million on hand. Boucher is already running ads, and he’s represented the district since 1982.

As Geraghty notes, in 2006, a number of Democrats that took out incumbent GOP members were significantly underfunded, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that Hurt and Griffith can win. In fact, Hurt is positioned very well in his race, even if you don't believe the 23% spread that Survey USA gives him. Griffith's route to victory is a little trickier and he will need a significant infusion of cash to define himself and to avoid letting Boucher provide the narrative.