With the May 18 special election right around the corner, the race to snag former Democratic Rep. John Murtha’s seat representing Pennsylvania’s 12th district is heating up.

Both candidates, Republican Tim Burns and Democrat Mark Critz, a former aide to Murtha, held practical mirror-image fundraisers on the same day last week.

Burns held a reception at the Capitol Hill Club and was joined by Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, Republican Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., the National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, and the Pennsylvania Republican Delegation.

Around the same time, Critz held a reception at Lounge 201, a bar the Washington Post calls “A Sinatra-style Capitol Hill martini lounge for those tired of the $2 Budweiser scene.” In attendance were Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, and the Pennsylvania Democratic Delegation.

A recent poll by Public Policy Polling shows that Burns holds a small lead over Critz. Murtha was the first Democrat since 1942 to represent Pennsylvania’s 12th district, a position he held for more than 35 years. The Cook Political Report describes the race as a “toss up.”

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Burns also leads in fundraising. He has raised nearly $550,000, while Critz has raised less than $400,000. But Critz may have an ace in the hole: the Washington Post reports that Murtha’s earmarks for area defense contractors might continue paying dividends to Critz, the aide that used to request them. “Defense contractors, local business officers and lobbyists that relied on earmarked federal contracts from Murtha…recently chipped in $142,400,” the Post found.

Murtha was a central figure in the PMA Group scandal; the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct cleared him of wrongdoing. When he worked for Murtha, who served as chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Critz compiled the list of earmarks that Murtha would fund. According to the Post, Murtha “routinely approved the list his staff gave him without making any changes.”

Whoops. Is the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) interested in getting Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI) reelected? It would seem so from a list of fundraising events the party committee sent out yesterday featuring a fundraiser for the Michigan congressman on June 11, featuring “special guest” Rep. John Dingell (D-MI).

Thursday, June 11, 2009
Event: Congressman Gary Peters (D-MI)- Small Breakfast with Special Guest Congressman John Dingell
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: Bistro Bis
15 E Street NW
Details: Suggested Contribution Host $1,000 PAC/ $500 personal
Please make checks payable to:
Gary Peters for Congress
50 E Street SE
Washington, DC 20002
For more information or to RSVP please cakk
Allisib Griner at 202-554-0355 ot email Allison.griner@gmail.com

This was more than a bit odd, considering that the committee targeting Peters, among other Dems, “to confront these Democrats for endorsing a reckless spending spree in Washington and authorizing over $1.2 trillion in new spending so far this year.”

Minutes after sending that list out, the NRCC sent out a new list: “Please disregard previous Calendar of Events. See attached.”  Mention of the Peters fundraiser had disappeared. We imagine the folks at the NRCC realized they were taking bipartisanship a bit too far.

[Thanks to eagle eyed colleague Bill Allison, for spotting the invitation.]