Posted on 02/13/2011 3:31:44 AM PST by Scanian
It depends on her health, of course, but Tucson shooting victim Rep. Giffords, who expressed an interest in running for the senate prior to the tragedy, may represent the Democrat's best chance to pick up a senate seat in 2012.
Politico:
"The race for Arizona's open Senate seat has quickly focused in on one question: What will Gabrielle Giffords do?
"The Democratic congresswoman, who survived an assassination attempt in Tucson last month, is still undergoing rehabilitation in Houston for a gunshot wound to the head. Physicians have warned that her recovery will proceed at its own pace.
[...]
"Giffords was mentioned as one possible contender for the 2012 race during a closed-door meeting of Senate Democrats on Thursday, two sources with knowledge of the meeting said.
"In Arizona, strategists continue to view Giffords as a compelling candidate for higher office. That's a distinction few Democrats in the state can claim after last November, when Republicans captured two U.S. House seats and won every statewide office on the ballot.
"'Congresswoman Giffords's name was clearly at the top of the list of potential candidates against Sen. Kyl, or if Sen. Kyl stepped down, over the past couple years. Given that, a lot of people of course thought immediately of her for this seat,' Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Andrei Cherny said."
A Gifford candidacy would be a double edged sword. On the one hand, her courage and a large sympathy vote would help her. But questions about her health - not asked by any of her challengers but raised by the press - would hurt.
Unless her recovery is even more remarkable than can be imagined now, I don't think she will run. While her progress toward recovery is heartening, the damage done by the bullet was extensive and she has years of physical and mental therapy ahead of her. Running for the senate would take away from her recovery which is why I think that in the end, she may pass on 2012 and perhaps try in 2016 against John McCain who may retire - or be retired - by then.
No.
...and taking a shot to the head still does NOT entitle someone to a Senate seat. And I happen to like her as a person.
Liberals, running someone they do not agree with most of the time, to get the sympathy vote, is just a desperate attempt to maintain their majority in the Senate!
I doubt she will be well in time. A shot to the head will affect her forever.
It’s profoundly sick what the left will do, in order to achieve their ultimate goal of leftist power, forever!
She barely beat Jesse Kelley in her race for Congress. She had to run on her record and won only because Tucson is liberal and she can count on student support from the University of Arizona. Some Republican from Phoenix with name recongnition should win easily.
There is no way to know what level of cognition Gifford's will attain. In any case, she is not likely to be "the same" as she was... in an entire range of possibilities. Give her a chance to heal, before you start talking about how she will be "used". Heartless morons...Sheesh.
or bloody scünci, whatever.
Drudge says “Big Sis” is thinking about running.
No.
She am dain bramaged.
Oh, wait...
Can you think of anyone more qualified as a democrat? : /
Seriously.
I pray her family has more mercy upon her than the democrats do.
Ignoring the fact the she only ‘won’ her seat through re re recounts that were typically dem maneuvers.
And now Janet Incompetano is considering running for Kyl’s vacating senate seat.
They really do live in an alternate universe. But their universe is so filled with corruption anything is possible.
She will run and she will have a very good chance at winning as it would be difficult for an opponent to run a negative campaign against her.
And if Robert Byrd and Strom Thurmond could serve in the Senate, there is no reason why she would be incapable of serving.
“Or they could resurrect Paul Wellstone...”
No doubt! They’re still trying to get him on the ballot.
Perhaps they could just elect a picture of Giffords face on
a stick. It would be as effective as the Green Bus they all worship now.
What an idiotic article! The woman was shot through her eye, and I don’t think it’s even been reported as to whether she can see, or whatever else she can or cannot do at this time.
It sounds like she has quite a road to recovery ahead of her. Campaigning is grueling, and one would think she’d need a little longer to recover than to run right out and campaign for 2012.
But whoever wins that election, let’s hope the AZ voters put someone in that position to make up for the horrific mistake they made in re-electing Juan McCain. I can’t believe they fell for his “no amnesty” pledge once again!
“umm don’t they think they ought to find out if she is drooling all over herself first?”
Considering our congress over the last several years, that might be an improvement.
She might have if she hadn’t been shot, but I seriously doubt she’ll run for Kyl’s seat now. No one knows how well her recovery will progress. Anyone interested in the seat needs to start an exploratory committee now, and Giffords isn’t in any condition to do that. At this point even running for reelection to her current seat will be an extreme challenge.
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