Housing Rises
As Voter Issue

HYATTSVILLE, Md. -- In 2006, liberal activist Donna Edwards nearly beat seven-term incumbent Rep. Albert Wynn in the Democratic primary by attacking his vote for the Iraq war. She's going after the self-styled moderate again in tomorrow's primary with a new issue: families losing their homes to bank foreclosures.

In a television ad, Ms. Edwards walks down a sidewalk with a "for sale" sign on an adjacent lawn. She links declining property values to Mr. Wynn's contributions from the banking industry, implying there was a quid pro quo for his 2005 vote on the Bush administration's bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to erase debts.

"They got protected, and average families got hurt," she says in the spot running in this district just over the Washington border, which has the highest foreclosure rate in Maryland.

At a house party last month in Montgomery Village, Mr. Wynn laid out what he sees as the big four issues in the campaign: the war, education, health care and energy. "Now people are talking about foreclosures, so make that the big five," he said.

Mr. Wynn says his opponent incorrectly describes the impact of the bankruptcy bill, saying most debtors, particularly low-income debtors, weren't affected by the law. He has also become increasingly aggressive in his criticism of the financial industry and says he is independent from them. The top of his campaign Web site has photos of him with the Rev. Jesse Jackson at a rally outside the Department of Housing and Urban Development, in front of signs saying "Save Our Homes!"

The race shows the growing attention to housing in the 2008 campaign. It also shows internal splits rippling through the Democratic party, beyond the spotlight-grabbing battle for the presidential nomination between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who will also be on the ballot here.

Ms. Edwards raised nearly $500,000 in the last quarter of 2007, aided by online fund-raising efforts by progressive bloggers. They've taken to her campaign and other primary fights around the country against what they call "Bush Dog Democrats" like Mr. Wynn.

During her Iraq-centric 2006 campaign, Ms. Edwards lost to Mr. Wynn by 3,000 votes, or about three percentage points. She won the higher-income upper half of the district with a 25-percentage-point margin. The housing issue now gives her new inroads into lower-income precincts.

At an event last month in the half of the district that was Mr. Wynn's stronghold and has been hit much harder by foreclosures, Ms. Edwards accepted the endorsement of the community group Acorn Housing Corporation. A woman in the back of the room asked why there were no "checks and balances" that would have prevented lenders from selling mortgages that headed to foreclosures in such high rates.

"The real check and balance for the mortgage industry and the banking industry was supposed to come out of Congress, which has failed in its job," Ms. Edwards responded.

The race has split some of the most stalwart Democratic constituencies. Ms. Edwards, a lawyer who worked for the consumer-advocacy group Public Citizen and co-founded the National Network to End Domestic Violence, has racked up endorsements from the Service Employees International Union, the League of Conservation Voters, and the progressive advocacy group People for the American Way.

Mr. Wynn has backing from the abortion-rights groups NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood and the National Education Association. Mr. Wynn often points out that the AFL-CIO reports that he has voted with them 93% of the time during his years in Congress.

 Ms. Edwards appears to be a stronger candidate than she was two years ago. She has higher name recognition and has raised more than twice as much money as she did in 2006, and outside groups supporting her have spent close to $2 million on her behalf. One mailing showed Mr. Wynn's head next to that of Vice President Dick Cheney superimposed over an oil refinery, lampooning Mr. Wynn for his vote on the 2005 energy bill.

Mr. Wynn, now in his 16th year in Congress, says he voted for the bill because it was certain to pass regardless and he was able to attach a large subsidy for home heating oil. He points to it as a classic example of legislative compromise, something he says Ms. Edwards might have trouble agreeing to.

"It appears this race is more of an ideological battle than anything else," Mr. Wynn said, "between the extreme left in our party and traditional liberal Democrats."

With a campaign slogan "leadership that listens," Ms. Edwards has also focused on Mr. Wynn's campaign contributions from corporate interests. Political-action committees make up almost 60% of the $1 million he has raised for the race as of Jan. 23, the most recent information filed with the Federal Election Commission. Ms. Edwards has brought in about $800,000.

Mr. Wynn points out that a large portion of his opponents' donations come from out of state, nearly 80% of those itemized in her latest campaign-finance report. He also filed a complaint with the FEC accusing her of breaking the law by coordinating with the independent groups supporting her.

"Our average contribution is $67.53," Ms. Edwards says. "I don't think a grandmother in Idaho who's giving me $67.53 is buying my vote for something."

She denies the allegation that she has improperly worked with the outside groups.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.