Posted on 11/09/2010 4:45:37 AM PST by chickadee
She wasn't on the ballot last week, but Tuesday was a bad night for Sen. Olympia Snowe. With conservative insurgents taking on GOP incumbents across the country, Snowe is a prime target for a Tea Party challenge in 2012. To fend off such a challenge, Snowe might have pointed to the failed candidacy of Christine O'Donnell in Delaware and warned Tea Party activists that if they want to hand a Republican seat to the Democrats the best way to do it would be to replace her on the ballot.
But that argument lost some of its currency when Tea Party favorite Paul LePage was elected Maine's first Republican governor since 1995.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
It’s preferable to have 50% or 75% of the enchilada than to have 0%. A Democrat Senator from Maine will have the luxury of being as far left as Kerry and Sanders.
If the GOP loses the seat in Maine, a state that turns deeper blue with each election cycle, it will be difficult to win it back the way Maine is trending.
But it’s not a sure bet that Snowe, if she survives a primary challenge, would win against a top notch Democrat candidate who will undoubtably be very well funded.
In 2012, Democrats will have a lot of seats to defend in red or swing states and their money will be spread thin. Maine is one of the few GOP seats they have a shot at flipping.
Unfortunately, he won a three-way race with 38%, beating the ever-whining Cutler, who got 37%.
Wouldn't that depend on who the Tea Party candidate was and who the Democrat candidate was? Just because Snowe isn't on the ballot doesn't mean that the Democrat is a shoe-in.
Unless, of course, she's planning to go Murkowski on us.
That’s correct. She gave Ben Nelson political cover and put the figleaf of “bipartisanship” on the socialistic nightmare. She knew once it reached the floor, it would pass. Olympia Snowe is absolutely reprehensible. If there is one single Republican Senator that needs to be primaried out, it’s her.
IRONICALLY, if she had been a DemonRat, it’s quite possible that Obamacare would never have gotten out of committee. BECAUSE she was a Republican, as the LONE REPUBLICAN VOTE, she had tremendous political capital to use. She used it and now we are srewed.
According to Bloomberg, Michael can read—and he has a passport.
The irony is that if Snowe had been a RAT, Obamacare might not have made it out of committee. She gave them political cover.
Very good points. In our state, a businessman, who never participated in politics before, was moved to run against Russ Feingold because of Obamacare. Feingold was so arrogant throughout the process before the vote on Obamacare - treating the people at his “town halls” with such disregard and lying about the amount of opposition to the bill - that this became a flashpoint. The newcomer (Ron Johnson) ran a positive and masterful campaign, sticking to his points about cutting debt and repealing Obamacare.
I hate these articles. They are meant to either stir the pot or are inside the beltway nonsense. Who is the credible challenger in Maine who can win a general election? Or is it worth losing the seat to a Democrat just to punish Snowe? Way too many conservatives live in some fantasyland where it somehow is a viable option to run anyone off the street who takes the right positions on issues. We saw that in Delaware and now perhaps we’ll see it in Maine. Focus on getting rid of Graham or other squishy Republicans in solid Republican states. And if a credible candidate emerges in Maine, by all means support them. But this hooting and hollering about getting rid of Snowe now is nonsense. And this article is nonsense too.
obviously you did not read the article. GOP just took over governor and BOTH houses of the legislature in Maine. CAN’T?
AND in my mind, it is worth it in any case to get rid of a huge RINO.
It doesn’t hurt to scare someone like Snowe, though, does it? Who knows, McCain’s scare in this last primary might put some conservatism back into him.
well they had a hair on the butt they would try to get the state to recall her NOW
Holding our noses and choosing the lesser of two evils gave us a GOP that is the minor evil of two evils
Housecleaning is hard work and long overdue and may stir up more dirt before it’s completed
If the good people of New England wish to become socialists then conservatives owe them the courtesy of letting them choose nakedly ambitious socialists (aka “democrats”) and see the result, not meekly accept much less fund the election of “moderate conservatives” who would sign a pact with Lucifer for an earmark or another term in office
There is no changing the long term thinking of people about right or wrong when there really isn’t much difference in what results from their choice
Re #49:
OBVIOUSLY you LIKE typing IN upper CASE thinking it HELPS make your POINT!
Every barnacle should be pointedly told their reality right now just in case they’re too dense to figure it out themselves. Their every vote and every slimy deal will be documented and remembered for 2012. Likewise for RATs in the House and Senate. TOAST in the oven baking.
Wow, she should pay for that.
Republicans hold the Maine state senate, house, and governorship, for the first time in memory, and the tea party movement has energized the long dormant conservative grass roots.
But it’s not a sure bet that Snowe, if she survives a primary challenge, would win against a top notch Democrat candidate who will undoubtably be very well funded.
Neither Snowe nor Collins has shown any vulnerability. Collins has crushed two first tier challengers while Snowe won her last election with 74% of the vote. Mike Michaud is probably the only one who could get within 15 points of her.
The new Maine Legislature needs to pass a Senator Recall Bill. Super simple and will keep “Olive Oil” in line, may be!
The makeup of the senate finance committee was 10 Republicans and 13 Democrats. The democrats needed the guise of “bipartisanship” to move the bill forward; Snowe provided it, making the final tally 14-9.
This is silly. See the post above yours about Ron Johnson.
No, you're unlikely to win running someone picked at random. But a private citizen with good political instincts, community involvement, a well though-out platform, ability to communicate, and raise money, can be a tremendously successful candidate.
I'm sure there are many people like that in Maine, some of whom may also have experience serving in local or state legislative office. The trick is getting the right one to run.
In Delaware, you had a candidate lacking some very basic qualities: a family and a record of career success. Biography counts.
It can’t be all stick and no carrot.
If she does well reward her, she raised her ACU rating 36 points this year.
If she goes for anything in the lame duck though...
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