The Eye

"The deficits that we saw under the Bush administration and the bailout under the Bush administration have led directly to the debt spending we see today, and that's what a lot of what both Republicans and, even more so, conservative independents have a problem with," Smith told CQ Politics Wednesday.

Sessions' campaign Web site displays a 2008 editorial endorsement from the Dallas Morning News, which said that he "grasped the seriousness of the problem, bucked pressure from many of his allies and voted for the $700 billion package." Sessions was re-elected with 57 percent of the vote over Democrat Eric Roberson.

Smith also accused Sessions of "hypocrisy" for touting a close association with the Boy Scouts of America organization when he held a 2007 fundraiser for this leadership PAC at a Las Vegas burlesque nightclub.

Sessions' campaign hasn't yet responded to requests for comment.

The only other time Sessions has been challenged in the Republican primary was in 2002, when he defeated Danny Davis with 93 percent of the vote. Texas' 32nd district has a Republican lean, backing John McCain over Barack Obama by 53 percent to 46 percent in the 2008 presidential election.

As the head of the House GOP's campaign arm, Sessions has the ability to raise a lot of money. He reported raising $645,000 in the first nine months of this year and had $1.05 million in the bank as October began. Democratc lawyer Grier Raggio raised $25,000 and banked $10,000.

The primary election is March 2, and the candidate filing deadline is January 4.

CQ Politics rates the 2010 general election race in Texas' 32nd district as Safe Republican.

To follow the 2010 House races, check out the CQ Politics election map