Ellmers gets help from national Republican committee

The National Republican Congressional Committee has come through with $10,000 for Renee Ellmers.

Half will go to her general campaign committee, half to the recount effort, reports Barb Barrett.

Ellmers campaign manager Al Lytton said they welcome the NRCC’s support. “It seems like we’re moving in the right direction,” Lytton said.

The NRCC agreed to make the donation Friday, as reported then on the Rush Limbaugh show and some conservative blogs. Lytton said the organization also said it wants to talk about raising money in the future as well.

That’s a switch from last Wednesday, when the NRCC told Ellmers’ campaign that it wouldn’t contribute financially to her recount effort in the 2nd Congressional District. The refusal sparked a fierce response from Ellmers.

She told supporters in an e-mail that she needed their help to raise $50,000 for a potential recount against incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge.

“I am doubtful we will get support from the NRCC to help with the expense of the recount,” Ellmers wrote in her e-mail.

The NRCC’s initial refusal drew the attention of Limbaugh, who talked up Ellmers on his national radio show Thursday, saying the Republicans were “telling Renee Ellmers to go to hell.”

Sarah Palin tweeted about the issue on the same day. “Mama Grizzly Renee Ellmers needs our help securing an honest and fair recount. Please donate here,” Palin tweeted, offering a link to Ellmers’ website.

On Friday, the NRCC made its donations.

“Friday they contacted us and said they would help,” said Carter Wrenn, Ellmers’ political strategist. “They’ve had a change of heart.”

As final results come in from the district’s 11 counties, Ellmers remains about 1,600 votes ahead of Etheridge. If he remains that tight through the current vote-counting, he’ll be entitled to request a recount after the election canvass on Friday.