Freshman Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus, is locked in what looks to be one of the toughest races of the year, a rematch with Republican Steve Stivers of their oh-so-close 2008 race.
Kilroy was one of the Democrats who tried to reap the benefits of the Democrats' own "culture of corruption" attack, launched when Republicans like Bob Ney were front and center.
It was no surprise that she moved to get in front of the [Charlie] Rangel issue by announcing that she would side with a Republican move to expel him from his chairmanship if Rangel didn't step aside. Doing the same was Democrat Zack Space of Dover, who won Ney's old seat in 2006.
But it's a sign of just how nervous some Democrats are that Kilroy also will hand over to charity $21,000, the equivalent to the contributions Kilroy has gotten over the years from Rangel's campaign and leadership committees. Of course, it's not the same money, since she last got a Rangel contribution in 2007.
And Space? Yep, he "returned" Rangel's money, too, donating $21,000 to food banks.
While nonsensical, the give-it-back calls can lead to campaign dollars being used for something more worthwhile: charity.
But Democrats, who used to issue the same give-it-back demands, weren't above being disingenuous last week, either.
Democrats let Bunning stall the benefits extension for days while they fired off press releases, uttered sound bites and held conference calls featuring out-of-work Americans petrified their benefit checks were about to be cut off.
There seemed little doubt that plenty of Republicans wanted nothing to do with Bunning's stall. A "cloture" motion to move the bill to a final vote would have garnered far more than the needed 60 votes.
Yet, Democrats seemed in no rush to do what was procedurally necessary to steamroller Bunning to get to a final vote. They were perfectly content to use Bunning as a rhetorical punching bag without filing that cloture motion.
All signs are pointing to one of the ugliest elections ever.
Republicans think they might win back a congressional majority or at least come close. Democrats recognize that unless there is a major turnaround in the economy and voter sentiment, this will be an anti-incumbent election that is more likely to hurt the party in charge of the White House, House and Senate.
Party operatives already are sending out accusations and counter-accusations over issues large and small, in volumes normally seen only during the final two weeks of an election.
Republicans are hoping for more Rangels. Democrats are hoping for more Bunnings. Soon, voters may just be hoping for it to end.
Jonathan Riskind is chief of the Dispatch Washington bureau.
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