[GraniteStateConservative]

What's the point in having them switch? We don't need them. Their voting behavior won't change-- they'll support the same legislation regardless. In both the Senate and House, we have enough votes to get much of what we want quite easily.

The issue at hand is that many older Democrats will retire in 2004 leaving vulnerable open seats because of disillusionment at their prospects to retake the House that year.

[Common Tator]

The issue at hand is that many older Democrats will retire in 2004 leaving vulnerable open seats because of disillusionment at their prospects to retake the House that year.

I could not agree with you more. Hollings has aready announced that he will not run for re-election to the senate in S.C.

The Democrats in the house are very very socialist leftist and getting more so as the years roll on.

[conservative_2001]

What's the point in having them switch? We don't need them. Their voting behavior won't change-- they'll support the same legislation regardless. In both the Senate and House, we have enough votes to get much of what we want quite easily.

Definitely not true. Senator Shelby's ACU rating as a Democrat was in the 60's. Now he's voting with us in the 90's and is practically a party-line vote for us. Congressman Deal would have a similar record. Senator Campbell's ACU rating as a Democrat was maybe in the 30's or 40's, now it's about 50 points higher.

These guys do vote more with their new party when they change. And most importantly, it's one more vote for the majority. If Shelby and Campbell were still Democrats, we'd only have 49 votes right now and Democrats would be in the majority.

I say bring out the welcome wagon for Congressman Hall and Senators Nelson (Nebraska) and Miller.

[Torie]

Here are the folks that defy the Bush odds. I think Mondale might have won the Peterson district though. Coleman's winning coalition was very different from Bush's in Minnesota. Edwards and Stenholm had close races this time, as did Matheson, Hill and Lucas and as always, Moore.

	     Bush Margin
Stenholm-TX	44.50%
Hall-TX	        40.50%
Edwards-TX	35.00%
Taylor-Miss	34.00%
Matheson-Utah	34.00%
Sandlin-TX	29.00%
Pomeroy-ND	28.00%
Turner-TX	26.00%
Lucas-KY	24.00%
Skelton-MO	19.20%
Hill-Ind	14.60%
Spratt-SC	14.50%
Holden-PA	14.50%
Peterson-Minn	14.40%
John-LA	        13.63%
Boucher-Vir	12.49%
Moore-KS	11.40%
Cramer-AL	10.30%
	
	     Gore Margin
Simmons-CT	15.40%
Quinn-NY	14.08%
Castle-Del	13.70%
LoBiondo-NJ	11.80%
Leach-Iowa	11.10%
Shays-CT	10.30%

[Coop]

The issue at hand is that many older Democrats will retire in 2004 leaving vulnerable open seats because of disillusionment at their prospects to retake the House that year.

Very good point. It seems the last few elections there have been very few Dems that have retired. I imagine last Tuesday's butt-whoopin' caused more than a few Dems to look longingly at retirement, a private practice, or a cushy seat on some corporate board.