NRCC to spend money on Sean Bielat's campaign against Barney Frank?

Sure, it’s not the most likely takeover in the country (Cook has moved it from Solid D to Likely), but it’s possible, and don’t it make you feel so good?

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Frank hasn’t faced substantial competition in 30 years, and now he faces a young, Harvard-grad Marine who builds robots that save U.S. troops from IEDs. Scott Brown won the district narrowly, giving the Brown grassroots hope and turning them into Bielat evangelists.

James Taranto profiled the promising candidate last week, Obama is traveling to Massachusetts inevitably casting the spotlight on Barney’s race, and now the NRCC may be taking a second look:

Bielat had lunch with House Republican Whip Eric Cantor Tuesday, and a spokeswoman for Bielat said “we expect some resources” from the NRCC “going into the home stretch.”

NRCC spokesman Tory Mazzola said the NRCC is “keeping an eye” on the race “because over the last few weeks it’s become very competitive.”

Privately, a Republican operative said Cantor’s lunch with Bielat was illustrative. “That would certainly be an indication this is winnable,” the source said. A major Tea Party group has also vowed to pour money into the race.

Frank’s office did not return a call for comment.

On that note, who’s ready for some encouraging anecdotal evidence that may not actually mean much, but will make you feel pumped and want to give to the Bye Bye Barney Money Bomb? I thought you would be. Believe:

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I was speaking with a prominent Tea Party member in the eastern part of the state she has been doing the heavy work of going door to door on days off to talk to voters, passing out literature and pushing her candidates. The report I got was astounding.

Over and over doors were about to be closed until the voter heard the Magic word “Republican”. When the voter heard that word, doors were opened, literature accepted and thumbs up given. Only one in four at best thought otherwise.

In all seriousness, Frank’s is the kind of improbable seat that a big wave could crash right into. Frank has ties to the mortgage disaster, health care, financial reform, the stink of Washington bailout-mania about him, a district that’s more politically diverse than he seems to think it is, an enthusiasm gap, a highly qualified opponent, and a Coakley-esque sense of entitlement to his position. Sounds like a familiar recipe for Massachusetts surprises. God speed, Tea Party Beantowners and Bay Staters!

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