By Laura Bonawits, Contributing Writer

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) launched the next step of its “Drive to 25” campaign last week—a paid advertising and grassroots effort that targets Republican Reps with an aim to net Dems a majority-earning 25 new seats—and Pennsylvania is in the lead with seven representatives taking the heat.

Earlier this month, the DCCC targeted three PA Republicans (Barletta, Fitzpatrick and Meehan) out of 19 nationwide, citing that their budget-cut support could ultimately cost jobs.

The new phase of the campaign will employ automated phone calls, live phone calls, e-mails and web ads throughout the week to expose the 50 representatives’ backing of “partisan plans that make the wrong budget choices,” according to a press release from the organization.

The House Democrats need to garner 25 seats to gain the majority in 2012.

The ads will target representatives Lou Barletta (PA-11), Jim Gerlach (PA-06), Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Charlie Dent (PA-15), Mike Kelly (PA-03), Pat Meehan (PA-07), and Tom Marino (PA-10).

The campaign calls out that the House members’ support for budget cuts will eliminate jobs and hinder the middle class while maintaining taxpayer subsidies for Big Oil companies. “We have to cut spending and reduce the deficit, but House Republicans are making the wrong choices by asking middle-class families to shoulder all of the sacrifice while not asking Big Oil companies making record profits to sacrifice anything,” Jesse Ferguson, member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said.

“The DCCC will continue going district-by-district to hold House Republicans accountable for forcing homeless veterans to sleep in the streets, taking teachers out the classrooms, scientists out of the labs, and underfunding police programs just so Big Oil companies can keep their taxpayer subsidies,” Ferguson said.

Transcripts of the automated phone calls can be found on the DCCC’s website.