Which Blue Dogs Might Switch Parties?

Red Meat Conservative ^ | 10/22/10 | Daniel

[red meat conservative]

In an ideal world, there would not be a single blue dog left in congress on November 3rd. All of them reside in strong or lean GOP districts and in a year when congress critters like John Dingell and Barney Frank are in trouble, one would assume that all the blue dogs would be long gone. Unfortunately, there are a few districts that will retain some of their blue dog frauds unless there is a drastic change over the next 11 days. In some of these districts the Republican candidate never gained traction, while in others, the blue dog was successful in lying to his constituents by painting himself as more conservative than his Republican challenger.

However, the real question is this: If the Republicans are slated to gain full control over the House, will any of these guys switch parties (two D's flipped following the 94 wave)? Let's be clear, I have no illusions that any of these foxhole conversions would be sincere. Quite the contrary, everything that these blue dogs do are designed to perpetuate their power in the most effective way. This is why I wouldn't be surprised if some of these Pelosi lapdogs would bail on their master to join the winning team. Here is a list of Dems who appear to be holding on to their seats and might switch parties.

ID-1 R+18: Walt Minnick NC-11 R+6: Heath Schuler OK-2 R+14: Dan Boren PA-4 R+6: Jason Altmire UT-2 R+15: Jim Matheson VA-9 R+11: Rick Boucher

[Fresh Wind]

Missed from my list:

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD) 30.07

Boucher (VA-9) is not listed as a Blue Dog, his lifetime ACU is 15.90

[T-Bird45]

Boren of OK-2 won’t jump ship, too much family history with a father and grandfather both having been US Senators as Democrats.

[ken5050]

He just might...his statements opposing all of the Obama agenda are better than most anything the GOP has said..I agree with you that there is a lot of family history and name recognition with the Dems, but I think it could happen..here’s a possible scenario. The Dem caucus in the House next Congress, will be far smaller, and MUCH MORE left/liberal..( indeed, there are rumors that Pelosi might get a challenge for leader from the LEFT of her party..those who say it wasn’t progressive ENOUGH..)so, I think that after a few months, he will be able to change, sayign that the party Dem party has left him, and more importantly, that by serving in the majority, he can do more for his district. Unlike Griffith, who was perceived as switching out of political necessity, Boren wouldn’t have a problem with a primary challenger next time out..

[deport]

If the tide goes republican in a big way, watch for the rats who were not up for election in this cycle to change party affiliation.

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Can you name some that maybe in this category?

[T-Bird45]

I can see your scenario but it sure would make for a tough Thanksgiving next year with former Senator Boren...:-)

On a more practical note, however, his ACU rating at 52.5 does not excite me. There are some RINOs (McCain?) that score better than that.

[9422WMR]

Anyone in the SENATE not up for re-election who is a dirty, low down, dirt eatin’, skum sucking, democRAT! Oh wait I’m being redundant......

[ken5050]

FYI..a few weeks ago, nationalreview.com had a long piece on Boren..well worth reading...try SEARCH over there..

[T-Bird45]

Thanks for the lead on NRO Boren article. I just read it and it was very flattering in its portrayal of Boren’s “blue dog Democrat” status. His categorical statement about opposition to healthcare was interesting as it flies in the face of my previous understanding that he was able to vote against it because Pelosi released him upon having enough to pass it without his vote.

[ken5050]

My pleasure. And I think it does explian why he’ll change..it’s bad enough being in the minority..but in the next Dem House caucus..he’ll be as popular as a Klansman at an NAACP meeting. Why would he want to endure that? The Dem party in OK is on the way to near extinction.. In 2004, a sitting, fairly popular conservative Dem congressman (sorry, I can’t recall his name) gave up his seat to run for the Senate. Coburn beat him. Bush trounced Kerry in OK. The Dem appeared on one of those C-span post election discussion panels. He blamed his defeat on the liberal Kerry atop the ticket.He made this statement. “The Dem party will never again be a national party until the last Vietnam-era dem lib has died.” After this election, they’ll be back on the two coast, the cities, and the college campuses.

[Liberty Valance]

*woof*

[Forty-Niner]

“There aren’t ANY conservative Democrats anymore.”

You’re kidding yourself, there never were any Conservative Democrats, at least not in my lifetime. Conservative and Democrat are mutually exclusive terms.

Down the Donks!

There is a reason the ‘crats mascot is a jackass.....Federal Truth in Advertizing Laws......

[Forty-Niner]

“The rest are either solid RINO, or hopeless libtards.”

We denigrate (deservatively so) McCain for his 80% ACU....yet we’re hoping “blue dogs with 25% ACU ratings will flip? Insanity!

I’d say that anything less than 50% is an unabashed liberal leaning fool...

Only two meet that criteria......all the rest appear to vote 70-90% liberal.....The concept of a blue dog being a potential Republican/conservative is a pipe dream of the naive, and uninformed......count me out..... I don’t want ‘em in my Republican Party.....not even after we get finished purging the RINOs out of the House and the Senate.
Let ‘em go stew in Political Purgatory.....

[GailA]

NEVER EVER TRUST A BLUE DOG, they vote socialist, marxist more than 50% of the time.