Hey, that's life. Recruitment failures happen. We'd also be much more competitive in Wisconsin and Nevada if we'd drawn the right candidates. Nevada is particularly disappointing as Reid's always been weak and could probably have been retired had someone like Gov. Guinn taken him on.
It happens to the Democrats, too. Rendell could've given Specter a run for his money, but instead he'll waltz to victory over Hoeffel. Plenty of Kentucky Democrats might've taken out Jim Bunning, but none of 'em had the balls to make the try. His opponent, Dan Mongiardo, has resorted to disgusting smear tactics alleging that Bunning is senile.
You don't always get the candidates you want, and sometimes you have to write seats off in order to focus your resources where they've got a better chance of making a difference.
Of course you're right, but I look at it from the perspective of defeating Democrats, so I'm less aware of their lost opportunities.
Why didn't Gov Guinn take on Reid? That was one of the most disappointing recruitment failures as Reid only won by a few hundred votes last time.
Former Senator and now Governor Murkowski really screwed up when he deemed his own DAUGHTER to be the best person to take over his seat when he became governor. Of course people aren't going to respond well to such nepotism. Wasn't there a GOP congressman or state office holder he could have picked? Now a conservative state will likely elect a conservative-sounding Democrat who will no doubt promptly become a reliably liberal vote once in office. What was he thinking?
North Dakota was another bummer. Is there no good opponent to take on that state's liberal duo of Conrad and Dorgan? This year its Dorgan, and with Bush at the top of the ticket a strong opponenet may have been able to ride Bush's sure coattails in that state to victory.
Illinois is of course now a disaster, and to be fair it was always an uphill battle. But Ryan at least had a chance, whereas Keyes will lose spectacularly.
I don't know as much about Wisconsin, other than the fact that its like Nevada; a Democrat who barely won last time will win easily this time. Why didn't Tommy Thompson run? Maintaining control of the Senate is more important than being Sec of Health and Human Services, or whatever dept it is that he heads.
It would have been nice if a better challenge to Boxer in Calif could have been mounted. Pete Wilson should have run for his old seat. Yes I know, he is blamed for destroying the GOP in Calif by championing a popular ballot initiative that passed easily, and carried him to an easy victory for a second term. He was the last Republican to win an important, regularly scheduled state-wide race there.