Despite Environment, Boyd Seems Secure for Now

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It may be too early to call it a recruiting failure, but Republicans are at least having recruiting problems in Florida’s Panhandle-based 2nd district.

On paper, Rep. Allen Boyd (D) would seem to fall right in to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s wheelhouse when it comes to the type of Member the GOP is targeting this cycle. He’s a veteran Democrat sitting in a conservative district who hasn’t had a tough re-election fight in years.

And yet, the national party has yet to champion any recruit in the district or even show any real excitement for any of the five GOP candidates who have filed to take on the seven-term Congressman.

For now, national party insiders say they are content to sit back and watch how the various GOP candidates perform in the all-important money chase before they decide if they’ll get involved in the race.

One Florida GOP operative agreed that that’s probably the right move for now.

“Allen Boyd is a very good fit for that district,” the operative said. “He’s tougher ... than people want to admit. If they don’t have a big money player there, I wouldn’t waste resources on a guy who’s proven he’s a tough nut to crack.”

Boyd certainly isn’t the top takeover target in Florida for House Republicans this cycle. That dubious honor would probably go to one of two freshmen, Reps. Alan Grayson (D) or Suzanne Kosmas (D).

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