ONE OF THIS YEAR'S KEY SENATE RACES: NEW JERSEY

National Republican Senatorial Committee ^ | 2 April 2002 | Sen Bill Frist, MD

[MeekOneGOP]

Take Back the Senate bump!

[EternalVigilance]

Bump!

Someone needs to tell the Senatorial committee to butt out of the Iowa primary between RINO 'Greg' Ganske and conservative Bill Salier...or else they are going to end up looking as dumb as certain other individuals did in in the CA gubernatorial race.

Regards...EV

[EternalVigilance]

Thanks for the good list.

In addition to the Democrat incumbents, there are challengers for us to be concerned about. One example: Jeanne Shaheen in NH. She is as worthless as a governor can be, and would be nothing in the Senate but a lacky for Hillary Clinton.

[deport]

Well, I hope the states that have those candidates get active in getting the best qualified candidate that is electable into the general. I think if we can keep the House, regain the Senate and the Congressional GOP gets some guts along with a few 60+ margins on some keep issues in the Senate then we may be able to get some good done. But we'll see how the electorate feels this fall as it is their choice.

[deport]

Well, Landrieu, Mary(barely won last time), maybe 3rd easiest to defeat, but I don't think she'll go down to defeat. I've not kept real close contact with the LA politics this year, but I don't see a statewide candidate that is evoking a lot of enthuasism at this time. We'll see as the fall approaches.

[GraniteStateConservative]

We'll know by 4-10-02 who will face Cornyn.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I agree with deport, Mary is a lock to win in 2002. The only hope the GOP had was for Jay Blossman to limit Mary to less than 50%-- forcing a run-off. Mary now only faces Cooksey in November and he has been a disaster.

I guess it makes too much sense for the GOP to have spent the last 6 years recruiting a good opponent. Susie Terrell would have given Mary a closer race than Cooksey will.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Yeah that map is real up-to-date. Thompson's retirement announcement was weeks ago, yet they don't show it on the map as an open-seat.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Torch isn't going to have a legitimate opponent in November. Thomas H. Kean would have won this seat easily. He's a moderate Republican, but it's 1000-times better than having Torch there-- and giving Leahy the chair of the Judiciary.

Diane Allen is probably the most electable in the batch-- and she's opposed to the death penalty and is quite liberal. Treffinger and Forrester both should be able to finance a campaign should they win-- Forrester is probably the wealthiest of the candidates and would probably get Kean's public support in the fall campaign. Treffinger probably has the advantage on organization.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Well, Ganske does have a record of killing political giants-- knocking off Neal Smith in 1994 after Smith served 36 years in the House. He also would be able to raise enough money to be competitive.

He's not ideal, but underfunded relatively unknown people like Salier don't win U. S. Senate races. Unfortunately, he's in IA-2 and can't run for the House because the GOP represents that district already. He should run for office-- maybe governor.

[BillyBoy]

>> I am sorry to tell you, but Levin will only be out of office when he's dead. Rockowski is a very weak candidate. Levin is an institution. <<

I too think DanfromMichigan is great overestimating Rackowski's chances of winning, but never say never. Levin was ALMOST defeated when he ran for his 2nd term in 1984. ( I think he won by two points) The problem was the Republican running that year was some astronaut celebrity running on Reagan's co-tails. The guy THIS year is some unknown state rep. running in a midterm election year-- and Levin is up for a 5th term now.

If Rackowski even wants to run a close campaign, he's going to need a lot more money, name reconizition, and high profile attacks to get Levin's negatives up. Right now, he doesn't even have a website (Levin has both a Senate AND a re-election funding raising site). Personally, I doubt the GOP has a shot at Levin this year, but if Levin runs for a SIXTH term in 2008 he might as well be defeated by someone like Mike Cox. By that time, Levin with be 75 years old and in the Senate for 30 years. As of now, his face is starting to look like a Halloween mask...image how he'll look in another six years.

The lone advantage I can see here is if Rocky can lure Levin into a long series of debates. He'll score points just from showing up:

Of course, we have the same problem in Illinois, but one of things that might make it easier is the Republican candidate is named Durkin. He's running against Durbin. The stupidity of Illinois Democrats cannot be underestimated. They just elected a total unknown as state Rep. named "Dan Woolsey (R)" because his name sounded like the retiring state Senator "Don Woodlsey (D)", not to mention they almost elected a welfare mom to the Chicago City Council because she changed her name to "Carol Moseley Braun". I'm not even going to get into the fisaco with the two Jesse Jacksons.

And I would like to see a debate between Durbin and Durkin too. Those of us who are smart enough to realize the different between the two should favor Durkin as well (Durkin is ALOT more charismatic, youthful, and attractive)

Finally, there's the fact that Durbin won his first term in 1996 by proclaiming himself a nice, "centrist", downstate Democrat from Springfield would be Paul Simon II (his opponent was "extremist" Al Salvi-- Durbin gave him that label because Salvi wanted to repeal the assalt weapons ban). Instead, Durbin's governed as a rubber stamp for Clinton/Daley and has a voting record more liberal than Ted Kennedy. His popularity in his former house district is EXTREMELY low now. Think Al Gore and Tennesee. The question is, can we get enough downstate vote to counter massive Chicago support for Durbin? It will be very tough.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Michigan is in for a hard road this year for the GOP. Studies show that even amonst the faithful Republicans that they don't know who is running for governor. Rackowski has zero name recognition and no political clout. I have been to several events of Rocky's, and it's obvious that he lacks the maturity for the US Senate. Give him time, maybe ten or so years, but there is no gravitas there right now.

I think that Candace Miller would have had a much better chance, fot senate, but she is playing it safe with going against Bonior in her home district where she is very popular.

We might have a chance to get rid of Dingell this year. We have a great black candidate running for his seat that I am pretty excited about.

[Dan from Michigan]

by someone like Mike Cox.

It's interesting you say that. I think he's our best shot statewide. Mike's an asst prosecutor and a VERY good grassroots campaigner. He will be going up against probably Gary Peters, who is a fairly strong dem actually, but would be tougher to face in another postition. Prosecutor for top law enforcement job, or insurance guy(I think) turned politician. Not to mention that Mike is from Wayne County.

I think Sec of State will be kept in the GOP Column. We have two strong candidates in Loren Bennett and Terri Lynn Land. Bennett is currently a state senator from a dem leaning seat(Westland area is always tough). Terri Land is the Kent County clerk and is charasmatic and a strong campaigner. My money is on Land to win both the primary and the general.

As for Governor, if Granholm gets 'Fiegered' or 'McCained' in the primary, we have a shot. If not, then we better home that she's hit hard with Metro Airport since the gunowners are not enough to stop her, not to mention those idiots, that say "I'll vote for her since she's hot".

I think we are set with McCotter, Candice Miller(our strongest candidate state wide...look out Stabenow in 06..), and Mike Rogers for our three toughest congressional seats. Rivers should be finally toast, and Bonior can join his friend Yasser.

The state senate should be GREAT from a gunowners perspective. The thought of Alan Cropsey(tough primary), Mike Green(Depends on Jim Barcia), Steve Vear, and Mickey Mortimer running the senate is great. Both Nancy Cassis and Mike Kowall are pro-2a and running for the same senate seat. Much to HCI and PETA's distain, Sue Tabor is coming back for one more in the house. Two good reps are coming from Livingston County now. I think Laura Toy, Bruce Patterson, Jennifer Faunce, Joanne Emmons, and Joanne Voorhees ar all running again in the house.

Justice Robert Young is up in the Supreme Court as well.

I'm optimistic on the bottom half of the ticket. I'm worried about the top though. That just means we got to work harder like Engler did in 1990.

[Dan from Michigan]

I think that Candace Miller would have had a much better chance, fot senate

I think there are some plans for 2006....right Debbie:)

Who is running against the Dingell/Rivers winner?

[EternalVigilance]

Well, Ganske does have a record of killing political giants-- knocking off Neal Smith in 1994 after Smith served 36 years in the House.

He pulled that off because conservatives worked their hearts out to defeat Neil Smith. I know, because I was on the Iowa Republican State Central Committee during that time period. Problem is, in the subsequent time Ganske has been in the House, he has been unfaithful to that core base that elected him. They despise him, for very legitimate reasons.

He also would be able to raise enough money to be competitive.

Money isn't everything. The more educated on issues the electorate becomes, the less significant big money becomes.

He's not ideal...

That's the understatement of the year.

...but underfunded relatively unknown people like Salier don't win U. S. Senate races.

Just watch.

Unfortunately, he's in IA-2 and can't run for the House because the GOP represents that district already. He should run for office-- maybe governor.

No thanks. He's running for the U.S. Senate. He is exactly the right type of candidate to take on and defeat Tom Harkin. Squishy Congressmen are grist for the Harkin mill...it's time to run a conservative warrior against the socialist warrior Tom Harkin.

I believe that Bill Salier is going to be the next Senator from Iowa, and the republic will be the better for it.

Regards...EV

[deport]

A little Biden info on his fundraising activites.....

Insight Magazine

Issue Date: April 22, 2002

Biden Taken to Task for Fund-Raiser
Posted March 27, 2002

Delaware Republican Chairman Everett Moore today criticized Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) for holding a Feb. 19 campaign fund-raiser at the California home of Dr. Sadegh Namazi-khah, a strong supporter of the Tehran regime and leading pro-Iran lobbyist. Moore called on Biden to return the estimated $24,000 raised for the senator's campaign coffers.

"I can't believe that Sen. Biden would have a fund-raiser at the home of a pro-Tehran lobbyist two weeks after the White House made it abundantly clear that Iran was aiding the al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan," Moore said. "Frankly, I am appalled that Sen. Biden would have the audacity as the Senate Foreign Relations chairman to take money from a lobbyist supporting a country that brutalizes women, ignores human rights and endorses terrorism."........

Last week Biden invited members of the Iranian parliament, which is dominated by Tehran supporters, for "a historic meeting" in Washington or anywhere else to discuss outstanding issues hampering U.S.-Iranian relations.

[Howlin]

Ain't we got fun? :-)

[opinionated]

Sure add me to the list, I've admired your posts in past.

BTW I earn an average income, but I've joined the Club for Growth started by Larry Kudlow. I think they have produced phenomenal results for the few bucks I can afford contribute to political campaigns. As evidence of our success, I offer the fact our senior Senator John McLame (R-AZ) and also Joe LIEberman have both just begun a heavy-duty slander campaign against us.

Best Regards,

Opinionated