In a new measure of the obstacles facing President Bush's effort to change the Social Security program, outside groups working to build support for his ideas are having to spend much of their money trying to buck up Republicans rather than converting Democrats.
Progress for America, a big backer of Bush's reelection that is spending $3 million on Social Security television ads this month, has been putting the money on national cable channels. That will change Monday when it also begins buying time on local stations, to coincide with lawmakers' return to their states and districts for the Easter recess.
 
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The group is aiming at a few Democratic senators, but most of the House members on its list are Republicans -- many who expect close races and therefore are reluctant to cast a tough vote on Social Security. The group also plans to make 3.5 million calls in the next two weeks, including 60,000 to each targeted House district.
"We want to make sure that constituents contact their Republican member and let them know that there are people supporting this so they're not just hearing from people from the MoveOn organization, who are simply tearing them down," said Stuart Roy, a consultant to Progress for America.
The 24 television targets among House Republicans are Rick Renzi (Ariz.), Bob Beauprez (Colo.), Rob Simmons (Conn.), Michael N. Castle (Del.), Ginny Brown-Waite (Fla..), Mark Foley (Fla..), E. Clay Shaw Jr. (Fla.), Ray LaHood (Ill.), Chris Chocola (Ind.), Geoff Davis (Ky.), Jim McCrery (La.), Charles W. Boustany Jr. (La.), Dennis Rehberg (Mont.), Jeff Fortenberry (Neb.), Heather A. Wilson (N.M.), Steve Pearce (N.M.), Sue W. Kelly (N.Y.), John M. McHugh (N.Y.), Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Michael G. Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Thomas M. Davis III (Va.), Cathy McMorris (Wash.), David G. Reichert (Wash.) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.). Democratic targets include Rep. Earl Pomeroy (N.D.).
The group has 25 paid organizers working on grass-roots activities in 24 states. The organizers try to generate news coverage and encourage calls to talk-radio stations and letters and opinion articles for newspapers. Progress for America says it has generated 4,975 letters to 57 key members of Congress and made 151,460 phone calls in the past month in targeted districts and states.
Endorsement in Pennsylvania Senate Race
A few weeks ago, Pennsylvania Democrats' scramble to find a challenger to GOP Sen. Rick Santorum promised to be a doozy. Now the question appears settled, thanks largely to the intervention of Gov. Edwin G. Rendell, a past chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Rendell endorsed state Treasurer Robert Casey Jr., son of the late governor, and in short order the other main contenders -- former treasurer Barbara Hafer and former representative Joseph M. Hoeffel III -- dropped out. Rendell's move angered some abortion rights groups, because Casey opposes abortion, but the governor said Casey has the best chance to topple Santorum next year.
A statewide poll for WNEP-TV showed Casey leading Santorum by seven percentage points. A poll released last month by Quinnipiac University showed Casey leading Santorum 46 to 41 percent, with 11 percent undecided.
Staff writer Charles Babington contributed to this report.
