McCain looks to Pickering, Lott

In today's Roll Call, Erin Billings writes under "McCain Turns to Hill Backers" that McCain08 is looking to Representatives and Senators to help with message and fundraising. Here are excerpts, you can read the whole article here (subscription only).

Looking to inject fresh energy into his 2008 White House bid, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is asking his Congressional supporters to take their endorsements to a new level by more aggressively tapping into their respective fundraising and political networks on his behalf....

Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.), one of McCain’s top House supporters, said lawmakers are becoming an increasingly more influential piece of the campaign, which he said entered a new phase beginning last week when McCain delivered a major Iraq speech at the Virginia Military Institute. Money aside, McCain also has been looking to regain his political footing on the driving issue of his campaign — support for a successful conclusion to the war.

“They are accelerating and aggressively moving the campaign forward, both on the policy side and in the organizational and fundraising components,” Pickering said. “We are an aggressive part of that.”

Along with other lawmakers, Pickering said his McCain efforts are multifaceted, including helping put together meetings to attract additional Congressional supporters, increasing his fundraising calls, especially to the technology community, and lining up new appearances for McCain in the South.

Also, Pickering is playing host to a major McCain fundraising event with Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) in the two lawmakers’ home state on May 31. Lott, one of McCain’s closest Senate allies, is participating in several more upcoming events for his Arizona colleague, including traveling on his behalf to Alabama on May 12 for an annual GOP dinner.

“I think Sen. McCain will be better positioned for the long race than some of the newcomers who may have had an initial burst of support,” Pickering said.

...McCain also is turning to his Congressional team to write to news outlets to help make his case as the strongest conservative candidate. In recent weeks, Pickering, Rep. Ric Keller (R-Fla.) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) have all authored letters to local and national media outlets to tout McCain’s record.