GOP anoints Herrera a "Young Gun" in House race

Republican Jaime Herrera is set to rake in big money from independent political groups with an announcement by the National Republican Congressional Committee that she has reached “Young Gun” status. The NRCC gives the designation to candidates who prove their ability to build a winning campaign and achieve fundraising goals.

“Jaime Herrera is ready to take on Democrat candidate Denny Heck and add this seat to the Republican column,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions in a statement. “As Democrats and their party bosses continue to push their big-government, big-spending policies onto the backs of hard-working families, Republicans like Jaime Herrera will continue to present a clear alternative to a Democrat majority that continues to spend too much, borrow too much and tax too much.”

Founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle, the Young Guns program selects Republican candidates to back who are running for open seats or challenging Democratic incumbents.

NRCC spokeswoman Joanna Burgos said the designation will funnel independent expenditures to the Herrera campaign.

Immediately after Herrera placed in the top two in the Aug. 17 primary, Americans for Prosperity, a group that helped launch the Tea Party movement, made an independent expenditure of $180,000 for a TV ad campaign targeting Heck.

The Heck campaign is challenging the ad, contending that it violates federal campaign funding rules because it uses Herrera supporters and former campaign staff members in the ad itself.

Kathie Durbin