Mild-Mannered Van Hollen Takes on a Tough-Guy Job

Chris Van Hollen doesn't have much room for error, and he knows it. As chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2008 cycle, the Maryland legislator is charged with making sure that Nancy Pelosi remains speaker of the House, which means not only retaining the Democrats' 231 to 202 majority but also preventing any slippage. (There are currently two vacant seats.) And, if he really wants to look good, he'll need to add a few more D's to the bottom line.

"Normally, after a wave like this, there is a backslide, so our task here is to beat history," Van Hollen said in an interview yesterday.

He has a very tough act to follow: His predecessor was Rahm Emanuel, the fast-talking, sharp-elbowed, cussing force of nature who gets much credit for guiding (some would say bullying) his party to a 30-seat gain in the House.

Indeed, it's hard to imagine this soft-spoken, 48-year-old redhead being called Rambo, as Emanuel is known for his bare-knuckled tactics. But Van Hollen insists he is plenty aggressive.

Since taking the helm of the D-Triple-C, he has recruited about 30 new Democratic challengers to take on GOP incumbents and has accumulated $19.5 million in the bank. The average cash on hand for its 29 "frontline" members -- those considered most vulnerable -- is $607,000. Not bad for a party out of power for 12 years.

The Democrats' broad strategy is to harp on the GOP's "culture of corruption" and the war in Iraq and play up their own legislative accomplishments; witness Tuesday's rally to celebrate the increase in the minimum wage. At this point, Van Hollen believes that 60 House seats are in play.

"We need people to understand that they can't be complacent. . . . [Members] need to stay hungry," he said.

Van Hollen said he is not concerned about Congress's abysmally low poll ratings, because surveys also show voters are leaning Democratic and because, he said, "Democrats are still seen as agents of change on Iraq. You're not getting a change in direction in Iraq by supporting Republicans.

"Our challenge is to maintain the confidence of the people. The other guys got fired; this time, we have to be hired." He acknowledged that voters are "frustrated" with the slow pace of policy change in Iraq.

Van Hollen grew up a product of Washington and public service. The son of a foreign service officer, he was born in Pakistan. He started his political career fresh from the Kennedy School of Government in the mid-'80s working for then-Sen. Charles Mathias, a moderate Republican from Maryland.

After a decade in the Maryland legislature, Van Hollen made a long-shot run at Congress in 2002. He ended up beating a Kennedy in the primary, Del. Mark Shriver, and ousting incumbent Connie Morella, an entrenched moderate Republican who represented Montgomery County.

He has been easily reelected ever since but can make the case for those who have tougher races.