WASHINGTON – Embattled Rep. Charles Rangel has become an albatross around the necks of congressional candidates across the country.
In at least a dozen contests, Republican challengers are demanding their Democratic rivals return donations from Rangel, who is under fire for having four rent-regulated apartments.
In Montgomery, Ala., Republican hopeful Jay Love has made Bobby Bright’s refusal to give back $14,000 in Rangel contributions a campaign centerpiece.
“If Bobby Bright is attempting to be a clean-cut, conservative candidate with Christian values, his association with a liberal, unethical person like Charlie Rangel is going to hurt him,” said Alabama GOP spokesman Philip Bryan.
Bright spokesman David Mowery said his boss had no plans to return the donations and predicted it would have no impact on the race.
“If I had to guess, your average District 2 voter has no idea who Charlie Rangel is,” Mowery said.
The Illinois Republican Party posted a campaign commercial on YouTube slamming northern Illinois candidate Dan Seals for his association with Rangel, who has given him $14,000.
“Dan Seals is so desperate to be a congressman, he’ll take money from anyone – even an ethically challenged congressman from New York who gets thousands of dollars in free rent each month,” a narrator on the commercial says.
Democrats Anne Barth in West Virginia, Linda Stender in New Jersey, Glenn Nye in Virginia, and Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona are just a few of the candidates whose opponents have used Rangel against them.
Other Democrats who are being called on by their opponents to return Rangel’s donations include Jon Powers, who is running in the northern Buffalo suburbs, and former Rangel staffer Dan Maffei, who also is running upstate.
Rangel has given more than $1 million to candidates so far in this election cycle.
The Ways and Means Committee chairman has fought to save his reputation in recent months after he came under fire for having four rent-stabilized apartments and using one as an office, although the law requires that they be used as a primary residence.
He has also been forced to defend himself against allegations that he inappropriately used his office to get donations for an academic center named for him.
Rangel’s office did not respond to a request for comment.