Ann Kirkpatrick on Principles & Values

Arizona is changing; voters are ready for a choice

But it's the boots she bought with her waitressing tips that are likely to take center stage in the race. Those same boots became a symbol in her last campaign as Republicans sought to portray her as some sort of high-heeled Washington liberal.

Kirkpatrick, 65, was careful not to blast the 78-year-old McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, who was first elected to the House in 1982 and to the U.S. Senate four years later. Instead, she said, it's about giving voters what she thinks they want now. "The state's changing," she said. "I hear from Arizona voters who are ready for a choice in the next election.'

Endorsed National Dems' "Front line incumbent retention" target.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added nine candidates to its "Red to Blue" list, a designation singling out strong campaigns in open or Republican-held districts. The list now includes two categories: targeted districts and "emerging" districts which may be targeted later.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is funding two programs [mostly via PAC-funded TV advertising] in the 2014 cycle: "Red-to-Blue" in Republican-held districts, and "Frontline" to defend Democratic-held districts.

Press Release from DCCCDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel named 26 of his colleagues to the Frontline program, a committee program designed to protect their most vulnerable incumbents. "We call this program Frontline for a reason--these Members are on the vanguard of protecting and expanding the middle class," Israel said in a written statement. "While the 2014 campaign will be dominated by a strong offense taking on the Tea Party Republican Congress, our success begins with our Members," added Israel, a Democrat from New York. "These battle-tested men and women have proven time and again that they can win because no one better reflects the values of their districts."

Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. will spearhead the program as its chairman. He's a Frontline alumnus as recently as the 2012 cycle. Otherwise, the list includes several freshman members and Blue Dog Democrats: