(CNN) - A growing list of Democrats in competitive districts and states will not attend this year's Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The elected officials said they intend to spend the time with their constituents, especially given the four-day event's close proximity to Election Day.
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Rep. Mark Critz of Pennsylvania is up for election in November in a re-drawn competitive 12th Congressional District. In a statement, Critz said it is more important that he spend time in the district "listening to the people" instead of at the convention, scheduled to take place between September 3 and September 6.
"Since I was elected, my focus has been on creating jobs for people here rather than focusing on the agendas of the political parties in Washington and that will remain the case as long as I am serving in Congress," he said Thursday.
Two New York representatives made their plans clear this week as well. Rep. Kathy Hochul, who won a competitive four-candidate special election in 2011 to replace Republican Rep. Chris Lee after he resigned, said "I guarantee that my time will be better spent meeting the farmers, small business owners and other people who put me here."
Rep. Bill Owens also won a close special election in 2009 that received national attention to fill the House seat left vacant by Republican incumbent John McHugh.
His office said the congressman will spend the time working in his North County district.
These names were added to members of the West Virginia delegation who made their intentions clear earlier this week.
West Virginia's Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, Sen. Joe Manchin and Rep. Nick Rahall earlier in said they will not attend the events.
Manchin, the conservative Democrat representing West Virginia who has distanced himself from the president in the past, said in a statement he will spend the fall "focused on the people of West Virginia, whether that's representing them in my official U.S. Senate duties or here at home" instead of on the next election.
The first-term Manchin won a special election in 2010 following the death of Sen. Robert Byrd and is now up for a full six-year term. He will face off this fall against Republican John Raese, who Manchin ran against in the 2010 special election.
Rahall's communications director said "Coming on the heels of Labor Day, Congressman Rahall prefers to spend that time in West Virginia with his constituents."
Sen. John McCain won West Virginia with 55.6% of the vote in 2008, and it went for former President George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004. Successful Democrats in the state tend to be more conservative.
Representatives for the Democratic National Convention did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
From CNN Politics
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because obama is OUT OF TOUCH
The Republicans in Congress have introduced: 46 bills on Abortion, 113 bills on Religion, 73 bills on Family relationship, 36 bills on marriage, 72 bills on firearms, 604 bills on tax cuts for the rich, 467 bills on government investigation .... AND BLOCKED THE AMERICAN JOB ACT!!!
Hussein is now like the plague for obvious reasons.
This has been the way that Democrats have consistently allowed the Rethugs to screw them: by standing pettily, and ridiculously divided. It amazes me that even though, relatively speaking, these Democrats should be standing proud and tall together behind their President based on the fact that the GOP has renamed itself the Party of Do Nothing and have in fact tried to derail any progress that has been made in spite of them; yet they insist on being petty and SCARED.
The Democraps act like chickenturds trying to distance themselves from the ONLY man that has faced own the Rethugs, President Obama, and they trip all over themselves like schoolyard punks trying to APPEASE ReTHUGS that will not be appeased by anything except the Democraps' relinquishing COMPLETE control to them. They are bullies. You can't win over bullies. You've got to beat their azz until they back the hell off of you. Jeez! Little kids know this!
Idiots. When will they learn: united they stand, divided they're SCREWED.
Obama 2012. Period.
unlike Republicans that have basically purged the moderate wing of their party, Democrats STILL have the so-called "blue dogs" that might as well be Republicans since they are Democrats in name only DINOs. These are the folks when I hear that the Dems have a majority or had a majority in Congress are the ones that helped keep Obama getting much done because they side with the GOP. Perhaps the Dems should do what the GOP has done and boot these guys out as well.
@Out Of Touch with reality
It's amazing that these little slogans you guys come up with. You never hear them, and then all of a sudden, it's every right wingers favorite phrase. It's kinda cute. What are your overlords going to tell you to think next?
People should check the polls. In the Bloomberg poll, Obama leads Romney by 13 points. More importantly, in the Quinnipiac poll, Obama leads Romney by 4 point in Florida, a state Romney must win. Republican officeholders, if you want to stay in office, you may want to skip the Republican National Convention.
"Since I was elected, my focus has been on creating jobs for people here rather than focusing on the agendas of the political parties in Washington and that will remain the case as long as I am serving in Congress," he said Thursday.
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With bad economic news from The Fed, F&F going the low road behind Executive Privilege, unemployment stuck above 8% and an Administration focused 110% on a political campaign as opposed to national issues, it is very wise to distance himself from the Democratic Party and from the Obama Administration in particular. Expect to see many other Democratic congressmen and Governors do the same.
Some Democrats to skip their convention
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Totally hilarious!!!! Don't want to be seen with Obama huh?!! Talk about an ENTHUSIASM GAP!!! Democrats are starting to realize that the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT the opening.
the republicans wish to turn america into whdt germany was in 1938
Kick out of presdient obama
I said mocked out of presdient obama that he make trouble with leak nation secrurity at white house so att holder will be go to jail for 1 yrs
USA is in crucial position now than ever before, so stay on single rope, be united. Yes, Obama12.
Do what you have to do dems. We have to get rid of as many treasonous rethugs/baggers as we can!
OBAMA 2012!
Yeah, they will be all over him when he wins re-election and he should give them the hand!
I wonder how many people the Democrats are going to have to pay and bus in in order to make it look like a lot of people support Obama??? Maybe all the people they paid to bus into Wisconsin are still available after their humiliating defeat?
no one wants to hang with a loser
I know that people like play fun vote for presdient obama
Obama are nothing for 4 yrear
Time to get rid of the communists in the White House.
ABO
OMG
I say do what the GOP does when they have Republicans that lean moderate...BOOT THEM OUT or force them to retire. Blue Dog Democrats are a waste of space.
@Carolyn......you moron.....if you really knew anything about Germany in the '30's, you would not suggest that any American...regardless of political feelings....in a NAZI......I hope CNN has the good taste to ban you, and in the mean time, quit proving what a disgarce you are
i don't blame the democrats for abandoning ship. Obama is losing ground quickly especially with the COVER UP scandal of the crimes committed by the administration. What is the president hiding? Holder lied, people died.
obama = nixon
Carolyn I love your analogy. Its as if they really like keeping Americans hostage since they refuse to work with the President on helping American people.
As if your self-loathing, miserable existences couldn't get any worse, what are you right-wingers going to whine about after President Obama gets re-elected? Have you got your cyanide capsules ready?
To those who say Obama's out of touch and losing support – does this ad say they won't attend because they support Willard? Liars.
BEND – As usual, your facts are completely wrong. It was the Koch brothers along with their GOP pawns that bussed in some of your mental-midget brethren. You right-wingers despise facts almost as much as you despise intelligence.