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Washington (CNN) – It appears the Democratic National Committee outraised its Republican counterpart last month.

The DNC raked in $11.5 million in October, a party source told CNN Thursday. Earlier in the day, the Republican National Committee reported that they brought in $8.79 million last month, with $11.2 million cash on hand and no debt.

According to the Democratic party source, the DNC has $12.3 million in the bank, with debt of $4.4 million. The $11.5 million the DNC says it raised in October would be a monthly record for a non-presidential election year since the implementation of campaign finance reform measures earlier this decade.

The RNC says the $8.79 million they raised in October was their highest monthly total in an off-election year.

The RNC's $11.2 million in the bank is down nearly $8 million from the start of October, which reflects the large amounts of money the party committee spent last month to help GOP candidates in this November's contests. Republican gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia both won, grabbing back two seats held by Democrats.

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Washington (CNN) – The Democratic National Committee is targeting 32 House Republicans in a new radio ad campaign that criticizes them for voting against health care reform legislation earlier this month.

The commercials will begin running Tuesday and are aimed at Republicans in congressional districts that voted for President Obama in the 2008 election.

"Republicans have read this wrong politically," said DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan. "They think the political peril is in voting for reform. The political peril is in voting against reform and siding with big insurance companies instead of their neighbors."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was able to marshal a health care reform bill through her chamber, although not without controversy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to bring the Senate bill to the floor soon, but the fate of health care reform remains up in the air as Democrats remain divided over issues such as a government-run insurance option and abortion.

A full list of Republicans targeted in the new DNC ad after the jump:

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Kaine downplays Democratic losses in Virginia and New Jersey.

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) - Assessing the national political landscape on the morning after his party lost two closely-watched gubernatorial elections, Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine said Wednesday that voters shouldn't draw too many conclusions from the two Republican victories as they look ahead to the 2010 midterms.

"There isn't really any historical connection between off-cycle elections in New Jersey and Virginia and next year's midterm elections," Kaine said during a press conference at the State Capitol complex in Richmond, where he serves as Virginia governor.

Kaine said he had several conversations with the White House about the races since last night, but he has not spoken directly with the president.

The governor suggested that both races hinged on local rather than national issues and that the president "was not really a factor" in either contest. While a majority of voters in both states said the president did not influence their choice for governor, exit polls indicated that national issues like the economy and health care weighed heavily on voters' minds.

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The Democratic National Committee is taking fresh aim at Sarah Palin.

(CNN) - The Democratic National Committee is taking fresh aim at Sarah Palin, encouraging supporters to attack the former Alaska governor on Facebook in order to "debunk her lies."

In an e-mail to supporters, and on a new Web site, the DNC asks supporters to call out Palin when she uses Facebook to transmit what the committee says are falsehoods.

"The more we push back with the truth, the more Sarah Palin and others like her will have to think twice before they promote lies, and the less they'll be able to derail progress," DNC executive director Jen O'Malley Dillon wrote in the e-email.

Palin is the latest high-profile Republican to be targeted by the DNC in a campaign they've labeled "call 'em out." Other Republicans in the DNC's cross-hairs have included House Minority Leader John Boehner, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.

The White House is denying that top donors got special access to administration officials.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republicans are seizing on a new report that suggests the Obama administration has been granting top Democratic donors access to senior administration officials if they commit to raising bundles of cash before the 2010 midterm elections.

The story - published Wednesday in the Washington Times - revealed an internal Democratic National Committee memo outlining how high-level donors are named members of a "National Finance Committee" that is granted access to "senior members of the administration" in Washington meetings and conference calls. The paper also listed several campaign donors who have been invited to official state functions, used the bowling alley in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, or screened movies inside the president's mansion.

Asked if there was any quid pro quo involved, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said, "No, of course not."

Gibbs downplayed the report during Wednesday's press briefing, boasting that the president has instituted "the very toughest ethics and transparency rules of any administration." Following up on an earlier pledge to do so, he added that the White House will soon release White House guest logs cataloguing every person who has visited the White House, including details on "who that person is, when they came, how long they were here and who they met with."

"Contributing doesn't guarantee a visit to the White House, nor does it preclude it," Gibbs said. "Hundreds of thousands of people have visited the White House since the president came in." He then referred further questions to the DNC.

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DNC falls short of RNC in September cash haul.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Democratic National Committee raised just over $8 million last month, according to a party source - a total that would put the DNC behind the Republican National Committee for the month, which reported earlier Tuesday that they brought in $8.74 million in September.

But the for the entire third quarter of the year, the DNC edged out the RNC by around $1.3 million, the first time the Democratic Party has topped the GOP in fundraising for a quarter since the spring of 2004.

The RNC reports they now have have $18.9 million cash on hand with no debt. No word yet from the DNC on how much money they have in the bank or how much they owe in debt.

The party figures come as President Barack Obama headlines a fundraiser for the DNC in New York City Tuesday. A party source says the event is expected to rake in $2 to 3 million. Obama was the main attraction at a similar event for the DNC last Thursday in San Francisco, which a party source says brought in around $3 million.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

President Barack Obama is in the middle of a two-week period full of fundraisers and campaign events to help out fellow Democrats.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Call him the party guy. President Barack Obama is in the middle of a two-week period full of fundraisers and campaign events to help out fellow Democrats as campaign season enters the home stretch this year.

The president headlines a major fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee Tuesday in New York City. The dinner and the rally at the Mandarin Hotel in Columbus Circle is expected to rake in somewhere between $2 to 3 million, according to a Democratic source. Obama was the main attraction at a similar event for the DNC last Thursday in San Francisco, which a party source says brought in around $3 million.

The two events could help out the national party, which is trailing the Republicans in the fundraising race. As of the beginning of September, the DNC reported $15 million cash on hand, with debt of more than $5 million. The Republican National Committee reported $21 million in the bank, as of September 1, with no debt. On Tuesday, the RNC reported bringing in $8.74 million in September. The DNC has yet to release its September fundraising numbers.

"The White House has already made it clear that it will take an active role in the midterm elections," CNN Political Editor Mark Preston said. "Over the next year, expect to see the president crisscrossing the country to raise money for the Democratic Party and individual House and Senate candidates. There is a lot on the line for the president. He will shoulder some of the blame if Democrats suffer great losses in 2010."

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Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele turned 51 on Monday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Monday marks the occasion of Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele's 51st birthday.

The RNC doesn't appear to have anything special planned.

But Democratic National Committee spokesman Hari Sevugan is celebrating with - what else? - a little snark.

"We're not Facebook friends, so I didn't know it was his birthday," Sevugan e-mailed CNN. "But he's given us so many gifts, I feel like we certainly owe him something."

The DNC has created a new Web page and video that criticizes the industry for opposing Obama on this issue.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Democratic National Committee is targeting the health insurance industry in its latest public relations campaign to try and discredit critics of President Obama's efforts to reform the nation's health care system, a party official tells CNN.

The DNC will send supporters an email this afternoon informing them that America's Health Insurance Plans - the insurance lobbying arm - has been picked for its "Call 'em Out" campaign. The DNC has created a new Web page and video that criticizes the industry for opposing Obama on this issue.

"The lobby has invested millions trying to convince Congress to oppose reform,"
Jen O'Malley Dillon, executive director of the DNC, writes in the e-mail provided to CNN. "So this week, we're not simply debunking lies: The best way to Call 'em Out is to cut through the spin and tell our representatives to say 'no' to deceitful lobbyists and 'yes' to reform."

So far, the DNC has only targeted Republican elected officials in the month-old campaign: House Minority Leader John Boenher of Ohio, Arizona Sen. John Kyl, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. This is the first time the DNC is taking on a particular industry.

Follow Mark Preston on Twitter: @prestoncnn

President Obama is going coast to coast to help raise money for fellow Democrats.

(CNN)– President Obama is going coast to coast to help raise money for fellow Democrats.

The president will be the main attraction Thursday night in San Francisco at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. The dinner and reception at the Westin St. Francis hotel is expected to bring in around $3 million, according to a Democratic source.

Next week Obama heads north for another DNC fundraiser, scheduled to headline a top-dollar dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City on Tuesday, October 20, according to different Democratic source.

When it comes to campaign cash, the DNC trails its Republican counterpart. As of the beginning of September, the DNC reported $15 million cash on hand, with debt of more than $5 million. The Republican National Committee reported $21 million in the bank, as of September 1, with no debt. The DNC and RNC could release their September fundraising figures as early as Thursday.

The president is also the main attraction at a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee-Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee joint fundraiser in Miami on October 26.

Former Vice President Al Gore is coming to Virginia on Friday to raise money for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Vice President Al Gore is coming to Virginia on Friday to raise money for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, a campaign aide confirmed.

Gore will headline a fundraiser at a private home in McLean. At this point, however, Gore is not scheduled to make a public appearance with the Democratic hopeful.

The event comes one week after Deeds got fundraising help from the current vice president, Joe Biden.

President Obama has also campaigned and raised money for Deeds, but the White House is being cagey on whether the president will return to the commonwealth in the final three weeks before Election Day on November 3. But the Democratic National Committee launched a flurry of robocalls into Virginia on Tuesday asking Obama campaign supporters to help elect Deeds.

Deeds trails Republican Bob McDonnell in recent polls. Former GOP presidential nominee John McCain will hold a rally for McDonnell in Hampton Roads on Saturday.

The Democratic National Committee targeted Iowa Rep. Steve King on Friday in the first of a series of Web videos.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Democratic National Committee targeted Iowa Rep. Steve King on Friday in the first of a series of Web videos highlighting the "radical views" of some Republican lawmakers.

In the first "Faces of the GOP" web video, the DNC chided King for voting against a resolution recognizing slave labor in the construction of the U.S. Capitol, and for saying last year that Al Qaeda would "be dancing in the streets" if President Obama won the election.

"With the likes of Steve King leading the Republican Party – it has marginalized itself as an extreme outpost of ideologues and bomb throwers which is out of step with not only women and minorities, but the vast majority of Americans," DNC Press Secretary Hari Sevugan said in a statement.

Sevugan said the campaign will be a "regular and ongoing feature so long as Republicans continue to put out right wing ideologues as their primary spokespeople."

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(CNN) – The RNC is reacting to the DNC's reaction to the RNC's reaction earlier Friday to President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize:

"Like most Americans, the DNC can't think of one achievement that the president has accomplished, so they resort to their predictable response and standard playbook of demonizing those who disagree with them. First they call Americans concerned over health care 'rabid extremists' and 'angry mobs.' Now, when challenged to answer the question of what the president has accomplished, Democrats are lashing out calling Republicans terrorists. That type of political rhetoric is shameful."

Chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize committee Thorbjorn Jagland holds a picture of President Obama.

(CNN) - A Democratic National Committee spokesman said Friday the GOP has "thrown in its lot with the terrorists" in criticizing the president's Nobel Peace Prize award.

“The Republican Party has thrown in its lot with the terrorists – the Taliban and Hamas this morning – in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize," DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse said in a statement.

"Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize – an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride – unless of course you are the Republican Party," the statement also said. "The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It's no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore – it's an embarrassing label to claim.”

The DNC spot slamming Kyl hits the airwaves Monday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Democrats are planning to hit Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl in his home state next week with a new television ad that accuses the Arizona Republican of being out of touch on health care issues - a pitch aimed squarely at women voters.

The 30-second commercial features video of a Senate exchange between Kyl and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan. In the clip, Kyl says he doesn't need maternity care, and requiring that coverage in his insurance policy would be unnecessary and expensive. Asked whether he thinks insurance policies should be required to cover pre-natal health care, Kyl's response included an offhand remark that "over 60 years ago, my mom did."

"TELL JON KYL: COVERING MATERNITY CARE ISN'T A JOKE FOR WOMEN," reads the ad's on-screen text.

The TV ad, which is the latest element of the Democratic National Committee's "Call 'em Out" campaign, will begin airing Monday in Tucson and Phoenix. A DNC spokesman calls the buy "open-ended."

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The Republican National Committee reported Monday raising $7.8 million in the month of August, besting its Democratic counterpart by $1 million over the same 30-day period.

(CNN) - The Republican National Committee reported Monday raising $7.8 million in the month of August, besting its Democratic counterpart by $1 million over the same 30-day period.

During a month of heightened GOP attacks against President Obama's health care reform proposals, the RNC also reported averaging 9,306 donations for each day of August and an average individual contribution of $41. The committee said it has $21 million cash on hand and $0 in debt.

According to a weekend filing with the Federal Elections Commission, the DNC raised $6.8 million last month, and has just over $15 million cash on hand. The organization is also carrying more than $5 million in debt.

The Democratic National Committee has launched a tough new campaign to push back against GOP critics.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - A little more than a week after President Obama pledged to "call out" opponents who make what he calls irresponsible arguments about his health care plan, the Democratic National Committee launched a tough new campaign to push back against GOP critics.

The DNC is asking supporters to pressure individual foes of the president's plan via phone and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Democrats are also launching an online "action center."

"Every Republican official must understand: If you lie about reform, the American people will call you out!" DNC Executive Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon told supporters in a Friday e-mail.

First in the crosshairs: Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, who has taken an increasingly high-profile national role this year. The DNC's Friday e-mail asked Democrats to call his office to complain about recent comments over the controversial "death panels" debate, and to take a new Web video slamming the Minnesota governor viral.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Obama's political team has raised more than a million dollars in the hours since his congressional address, the Democratic National Committee reported Thursday.

Since the president's Wednesday night speech, more than 381,000 people have signed Organizing for America's online letter in support of his health care plan. The DNC also said that $1,087,000 has been donated in that time, even though OFA has yet to send out a dedicated fundraising e-mail.

The DNC's latest ad says the GOP is 'no friend of seniors.'

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The fight over health care got heated this summer - and the Democratic National Committee has been raising the temperature a few degrees with an incendiary assertion: that House Republicans tried earlier this year to do away with the Medicare program in its entirety.

The DNC is expanding the buy for its 30-second TV spot that cites GOP votes on a House budgetary amendment in early April of this year, and claims that "Republicans actually voted to abolish Medicare for future generations."

"The Republican Party, no friend of seniors," the ad says as it ends.
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The DNC is taking aim at Dick Cheney in a new ad.

(CNN) - The Democratic National Committee is taking aim at Dick Cheney over his string of high-profile media appearances during which the former vice president has been highly critical of President Obama's national security policies.

In a new 30-second television ad set for national cable and local cable in Washington, the DNC asserts many of Cheney's statements have been incorrect - particularly those in which he has argued enhance interrogation techniques conclusively yielded intelligence.

That ad compares those recent statements to ones he made in the leadup to the Iraq war, when he declared Americans would be "greeted as liberators" and that he was sure Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

"Dick Cheney, wrong then, wrong now," the ad states.

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