A political action committee intent on targeting Rep. Jerry Lewis (R) has been formed by Democrats based in the Congressman’s 41st district.

Blue County PAC, named because its goal is to turn Republican-leaning San Bernardino County Democratic, is scheduled to hold its inaugural fundraiser on Wednesday, where it will unveil Democratic activist Tim Prince as the choice of local Democrats to challenge Lewis.

Patrick Kahler, the controlling officer of Blue County, said the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has told Democrats in San Bernardino County that the committee’s No. 1 target in California in 2008 is Lewis, the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee and the subject of an ongoing Justice Department investigation.

Blue County is hoping to raise a little more than $5,000 on Wednesday for Prince’s campaign. Prince, an attorney, also serves on the San Bernardino County Democratic Party Central Committee.

“This is the first legitimate candidate we’ve run in years,” Kahler said.

Despite legal issues that stretch back well before the November elections, the conservative 41st district, located about 60 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, re-elected Lewis with 67 percent of the vote, suggesting Prince has a tall order in front of him.

Lewis is the only GOP Congressman listed as a target on Blue County’s Web site, although he is not the only GOP Member to represent a portion of San Bernardino County — Rep. David Dreier is another. Meanwhile, the PAC also lists as targets a host of state and local offices currently held by Republicans.
— David M. Drucker