Posted on 09/12/2008 4:57:16 AM PDT by 11th_VA
We need to keep running against a congress with a 9% approval rating.
The only way the GOP could possibly take back the House is by nationalizing the election around high gasoline prices and oil exploration.
Many are talking about it, but I don’t think the party is driving the issue hard enough to achieve the desired outcome.
I’m curious as to your assessment of LA-06. That looks to be another serious GOP pick-up opportunity. (For those not familiar, the Pubbies lost this seat in a special election, but they now have a stronger contender [by most accounts] in a district Bush carried with 59% in ‘04.) I saw that it did not make your list of four most likely pick-ups.
Sorry, the country-club republicans never learn. History keeps repeating itself and they keep on trying. And every time they succeed we lose the election.
Which ones?
The 11th Congressional District in Western NC, for one.
We have an Asheville libertarian-based candidate (Mumpower) who is fighting the county GOPs and is p!ssing everybody off whom he shouldn't. The two genuine conservatives (our own Congressman Billybob and Spencer) split the vote in a 3 way contest and lost. Therefore, the "minority" GOP candidate won. Sound familiar?
This is a strongly conservative district which should handily win in the GOP column but probably won't. We are represented by a blue dog ex-football "hero", Heath Schuler, who says the right things when in the District and then votes with Nancy Pelosi. A good GOP candidate might knock him off. Mumpower won't. Either of the others could have.
After this year, Shuler will be tough to beat because of incumbency.
Huckabee had been urged to run for the Pryor seat in AR but he demurred, and the GOP could find no one. Huckabee knew he would have lost the race, I would imagine.
What about Colonel West in Florida?
I’m not sure how Allen West is doing in fundraising. FL-22 is competitive, but I’m certain West is still an underdog to Klein. But West is also worthy of our support. Michelle Malkin plugged his candidacy a while back.
I can’t address the other house races, but MD 1st is pretty safe. Last public poll I’ve seen (7/15/08) shows Republican Andy Harris, a solid conservative, leading Democratic carpet-bagger Kratovil by 44 percent to 28 percent. MOE was 5.65 percent.
I find it annoying and all too common around here. And that's my prerogative.
That was a very good start! The entire party should follow their lead. Every time a republican speaks between now until election day, gasoline prices and drilling should be mentioned. During every speech, every TV show, and even during conversations. DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW, PAY LESS!!!
bttt
Here’s your pinch.
Congress is not in session.
When they are this trend may well reverse.
If Boehner is smart, he’ll do anyhting to get drilling done, even declare his willingness to shut down the government over it. If he does that, the people will remain on our side.
Before we get all warm and gooey over the prospect of Pelousy and the Dems being booted out on their butts this election, our votes have to come with a price.
We won’t tolerate the ‘Pubbies taking control of the House if it’s going to be a return of the same old, inept, “drunken sailor” RINOS representaing our party and our values. We want the House to reflect the core conservative principles that identify Republican values and return us to the days of Newt and the Contract with America. If Nancy and the Dems have shown us anything, it is that we NEED a new Contract with America to restore value and principle to the government and to the concepts of freedom and liberty and individual responsibility.
Without that new contract, regaining the House will be meaningless if Republicans are unable to demonstrate that our values and our principles represent a clear paradigm shift over that of the Dems. We may not have eloquent, charismatic, empty-suited speakers like the Dems, but when we let our actions rule and play by the Reagan principles, there is no way we can lose.
This is what is missing in the Republican Party today. There is no Tom DeLay to enforce core values and principles and take the Dems on. When we produce a Milquetoast speaker the Dems can (and will) run over him/her when we reach across the aisle to try to work with the Dems. Clearly, with Republican control, bipartisanship is just an open door to abuse and ridicule. Notice that when the Dems are in control, they do not make as much as a pretense toward bipartisanship. It’s their way or the highway.
We should give them a dose of their own medicine, but we need another “Hammer” like Tom DeLay. Let’s not elect people just because they have an ‘R’ after their name. Let’s elect people like Gov. Palin who have unwavering commitment to conservative principles. Otherwise, what’s the point?
I don’t think it comes down to the specific candidates...they have to carry their weight, obviously.
But what GOP leaders should be doing RIGHT NOW is selecting the “GOP faces” that will represent them on all the talking head shows for the rest of the campaign.
No Washington stuffed shirts.
I’m thinking people like Susan Mollinari (and her husband...where’d he go?!).
Bobby Jindal
Fred Thompson
Michael Steel
_____________(more women)
Newt’s been fabulous...hmmm, Speaker again?
I’m sure there are many more.
McCain/Palin are great. But they’re spending their days at rallies giving canned speeches. We need feisty, common sense conservatives taking on the libs all day/night on the talking head shows. We need THEM to be the face of the party (sorry, Boehner).
It’s critical that the GOP come up with this team IMMEDIATELY in order to take advantage of this sublime opportunity.
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