House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) will crisscross the Midwest beginning today, visiting five states to fundraise for Democrats in the 2008 election cycle.

With the House in recess for the duration of the week, the Maryland lawmaker will visit Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois to support eight incumbent lawmakers as well as one Democratic challenger.

His agenda will include a trip to Kansas City, Mo., for Democratic candidate Kay Barnes, as well as stops for events for freshman Reps. Nancy Boyda (Kan.), Tim Walz (Minn.), Keith Ellison (Minn.), Dave Loebsack (Iowa), Bruce Braley (Iowa) and Phil Hare (Ill.) and Reps. Russ Carnahan (Mo.) and Leonard Boswell (Iowa).

The trip will put Hoyer’s tally at 18 states and 31 district visits during the current election cycle. He has raised approximately $1.1 million thus far and has contributed more than $540,000 to Democrats.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), meanwhile, is scheduled to attend a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event today in Portland, Ore., and also will host a separate roundtable discussion on global warming with Oregon Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Darlene Hooley at the Oregon Convention Center.

— Jennifer Yachnin