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Washington • The head of the National Republican Congressional Committee doesn't expect Rep. Mia Love to need the group's help this year in her rematch with Democrat Doug Owens.
Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said Friday that Love will be fine on her own this election cycle, given her reputation as a first-term member and her fundraising prowess.
"I don't anticipate we're going to have to get into that race at all," Walden told a group of regional reporters. "I really don't."
That's a sharp difference from the NRCC's adversary, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is targeting Love in her rematch against challenger Doug Owens. The DCCC named Owens one of 16 candidates in its "Red to Blue" program and plans to support his bid. Love beat Owens by 5 percentage points in 2014.
Love's campaign manager, Dave Hansen, says the NRCC knows that Love is well-positioned for re-election and doesn't need to get involved.
"That's not a surprise at all," Hansen said. "They're pleased with what we're doing."
He added that while the DCCC may be helping Owens now, it won't be later on.
"My guess is by the fall, they'll be putting those resources into another race," Hansen said.
Walden, whose job is to re-elect Republicans and help GOP candidates in the general election, said the NRCC believes Love can fully finance her own campaign and she's done well in her first term.
"Voters know her; they like her," Walden said. "She's getting things done here that translates back there."
Love has more cash on hand than Owens with just over $1 million in the bank compared to Owens' $766,000.
Taylor Morgan, a senior adviser to the Owens campaign, said Love is already getting more help from out-of-state donors than Utahns, so it's not a shock the NRCC is staying out of the race.
"Mia Love is a national political celebrity who already receives most of her money and support from out of state," Morgan said, "so this is no surprise."