WASHINGTON -- A progressive push to defeat 10 Tea Party-affiliated Republicans has named its two newest targets Wednesday, with the addition of GOP House stalwarts in tough districts.
The liberal CREDO Super PAC launched a multimillion dollar bid to take down the "Tea Party 10" in February, when they identified the first six candidates, among them conservative champions such as Reps. Steve King (R-Iowa), Allen West (R-Fla.) and Joe Walsh (R-Ill.).
Two additions -- the more conservative Rep. Dan Lungren (Calif.) and the more moderate Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (Pa.) -- have more of a situational allegiance to the right, but they are in competitive districts that they could actually lose. CREDO also points to votes by both candidates to do things like defund Planned Parenthood, redefine rape and support the GOP budget that Democrats see as gutting Medicare and programs for the poor.
Democrats need to win 25 seats to take back control of the House.
"Rep. Dan Lungren is the Rick Santorum of California, and Rep. Fitzpatrick is one of the war on women's biggest champions," said Becky Bond, Political Director of CREDO. "If our grassroots activists can reach out to enough voters in the districts of Lungren and Fitzpatrick and share the message of these Republicans' extremist Tea Party votes, our efforts can make the difference between victory and defeat in November."
Below, the first group of Republicans announced by CREDO:
