WASHINGTON – Virginia's Democratic Rep. Jim Moran (search) faces a challenge from a surprising quarter in his race for an eighth term — key Democrats, including some advisers to John Kerry's presidential campaign, who want to force him out.
Customarily, party campaign committees support congressional incumbents, but Moran has decided against getting help from the party. In return, the party is not offering any.
Part of the reason for withholding support, say some observers, is Moran's habit of saying and doing things that require apology, including getting in a shoving match on the House floor and grabbing an eight-year-old boy by the scruff of his neck. The most recent apology — about a year ago — came after Moran made a statement about support for the Iraq war (search) that Jewish leaders called anti-Semitic.
That leaves top Democrats — including Bob Shrum and Tad Devine, both advisers to the Kerry campaign — free to help Andy Rosenberg (search), an attorney and former Capitol Hill staffer.
"There are a lot of people in the Democratic Party, both nationally and locally, that recognize that we need to change our representation in Northern Virginia, that Congressman Moran is not an appropriate spokesperson or leader for the 8th Congressional District," Rosenberg said.
Click here to watch a report by Fox News' Brian Wilson.
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