Which Dem Senators should we target for defeat in 2006? (Vanity)

11/06/2004 | Deaconjim

[deaconjim]

Ok, we've got two years. We know we need to pick up at least 6 seats. Assuming that we won't have a 100% success rate, we should probably choose at least 8-10 Democrat (or independent) seats to work on.

We have seen that we can make a difference in the outcome of elections. Let's put ourselves to work and help get W a fillabuster proof Senate.

[RockinRight]

CT Lieberman, Joe (D)-leave Joe. He's better than any Republican that could win Connecticut
DE Carper, Thomas (D)-tough but worth trying
MA Kennedy, Edward (D)-we got Daschle, we can get him
MD Sarbanes, Paul (D)-a nobody-maybe we can do it
NJ Corzine, Jon (D)-tough shot
NY Clinton, Hillary (D)-Rudy could pummel her
VT Jeffords, Jim (I)-not a chance a real republican can win here
WV Byrd, Robert (D)-probably retiring, but it's a likely GOP pickup since WV has gone red
FL Nelson, Bill (D)-likely GOP pickup
MI Stabenow, Debbie (D)-a good pubbie can beat her
MN Dayton, Mark (D)-another reddening state worth targeting
WI Kohl, Herb (D)-unlike Feingold, he's a nobody-let's take him out
ND Conrad, Kent (D)-ND needs a GOP Senator
NE Nelson, Ben (D)-decent enough Dem
NM Bingaman, Jeff (D)-decent target
WA Cantwell, Maria (D)-challenging, but possible
HI Akaka, Daniel (D)-don't bother

[lawgirl]

HITLERY.

Duh, darling.

[George W. Bush]

Ben Nelson, Nebraska(work on a switch to GOP)

No great need actually. He already follows Hagel's lead and crosses party lines.

Not that I'm fond of him. His legacy as governor still doesn't sit well with me but the state can hardly be said to hate him either.

He's no Zell. But he's not a pawn of the liberal Dim establishment either. Bascially, they have nothing to offer him to induce him to fall on the liberal sword.

Beyond all that, I don't see a strong Republican opponent unless Governor Johanns takes him on. Seeing how cagy Nelson has been in his voting, Johanns might find difficulty running against an incumbent Dim who votes like a Republican.

Either way, Nelson will either vote for GOP nominees and generally for GOP legislation or he'll face a strong challenge and will lose. I'd say his seat won't be a problem either way.

[George W. Bush]

Robert Byrd-WV
Bill Nelson-FL
Kent Conrad-ND
Ben Nelson-NE
Jeff Bingaman-NM

I see Byrd and Nelson-NE and Conrad as fairly popular in their home states with the incumbent advantage.

Perhaps Nelson-FL and Bingaman are most vulnerable.

[RockinRight]

Franken would get clobbered.

[RockinRight]

If Rice wants a political future, she should serve out her cabinet time, run for elective office in her home state (where is that?), and then see what happens.

CA I believe.

[RockinRight]

Why does Nebraska have such crappy Senators, anyway?

[ExSoldier]

Eisenhauer was a one-man celebrity army, having led the troops in the most massive war the earth had seen. We have no one who is even in the same universe as him.

OH CRIPES. EISENHOWER was a creation of the Council on Foreign Relations who were even then grooming him to be President. He had NEVER held a combat command prior to being PROPELLED over the heads of generals' FAR more qualified into the position of Supreme Allied Commander.

Eisenhower BOTCHED the Korean War. He left troops in communist hands with the full knowledge that they were being taken for their skills in science into both communist China and eventually the USSR. How do I know this? Well, my wife's uncle is one of those men and my screenplay on the topic is being reviewed by both Speilberg and Ron Howard. My agent is very encouraged. I have done a year's worth of research on this.

Back to Condi Rice. She is the future of American conservatism and the best candidate to fill the post Bush vacuum and the best candidate to offset an expected reMADE Democratic Party that will be even more focused than ever. They will learn from their mistakes, this time. It's one reason why the off year elections in 2006 are so critical and why this thread came into being in the first place. Who to target in 2006 to cement our grip on the entire Congress? It's kind of a fall-back position in one way so as to insure the RATS can't make too much headway IF their refocus is successful and they do take the White House in 2008. Can you think of a candidate that is sure to destabilize the minority vote and put the RATS on the defensive as easily as Condi? Think like a political operator, not just a run of the mill voter.

[George W. Bush]

Why does Nebraska have such crappy Senators, anyway?

Because we're a crappy state?

Nah. Okay, well maybe.

We have a unicameral legislature. It's non-partisan at least officially. Many other elective offices and all boards are non-partisan. Only the national offices and a handful of the top ones at the state level are explicitly partisan. Sure, you generally know their party. But the differences just aren't as sharp here as in other states.

Nebraska tends pretty conservative. But never very radical. That said, Democrats in the rural areas are all but extinct. Still, you'll see an ex-governor like Nelson who is able to win. Or a rather liberal Republican like Osborn who can take the most rural district in the state.

Nebraska is incapable of becoming very liberal or very conservative. We can't even seem to pass a CCW law.

The single greatest strike against Nelson from the conservative standpoint are that he appointed the entire Nebraska supreme court prior to his election as senator. For that alone, no conservative should hope for him to win. But that's a done deal and he's no longer in position to do that again or create a lot of mischief.

I'm just being realistic here. I never hear anyone, even the toughest rightwingers, bitching about his voting record in the Senate. Maybe they do but I don't hear it.

In any event, Nebraska will do what it damned well pleases. We're a little stubborn and don't care what outsiders think. Much like the other all-Red states are. We don't even care that we are all-Red.

Perhaps you'd like to join us in chanting "GO BIG RED" at this juncture? Sure, we'll let you use our slogan...

The thing most likely to re-elect Nelson hands down is if the GOP turns on the big ag subsidies and Nelson votes against the cuts. The corn farmers will go for the pork over the politics. That's just how it is.

[George W. Bush]

Back to Condi Rice.

You left out the parts where she's pro-affirmative action and pro-choice.

I seem to recall that both she and Powell hold these positions and it didn't sit well in some quarters back when they were appointed.

There are voters who are incapable of voting for a pro-choicer. That's just reality. It makes them feel like they've personally participated in abortion.

[RockinRight]

Interesting. Well, I'm from Ohio, and we elect Republicans, but all of them seem to be RINO's except Ken Blackwell.

[Henchman]

SPECTER the Sphincter!

[George W. Bush]

I mentioned Nelson appointing all the Nebraska supremes. But I forget to bring up that they've stalled executions and found pretext for winding the clock back 20 years in a few gross murder cases on death row. It's costing the counties who are trying to execute murderers a lot of money. And costing the state a lot to keep them on death row for decades.

Possibly the single greatest grudge a pro-death penalty voters (virtually the entire state) should hold against him. I think this point was neglected by Stenberg, the attorney general who ran against him last time. Stenberg just wasn't a very good candidate though and had had a few botched cases in his offices.

Perhaps attacking his court appointees and their actions on death penalty would be the strongest grounds to unseat him. Certainly, I'd favor it. I just don't hear enough people complaining to think that he's very vulnerable. And if he votes for corn pork when the GOP cuts subsidies, he'll win anyway. If he votes with Hagel as he generally does, he'll be almost unstoppable.

Just my take.

[ExSoldier]

she's pro-affirmative action and pro-choice.

Sorry, can you document that? I had not heard HER say that or read where she said it as a quotation. Pro-choice would be bad. Affirmative action can be overcome more easily. Actually if GW works things correctly in this second term, both of these political positions might be immaterial in any future Administration. Appoint the right Federal judges and get the right mix into the "Supremes" and it's a nonissue for the forseeable future.

[the Deejay]

I believe she meant to say "We should reach out to (slap) the democrats (often)".

Well, then that's what she should have said. Say what ya really mean, Kay! LOL

[PISANO]

ALL OF THEM!

[George W. Bush]

Sorry, can you document that?

I just remembered the flap when she and Powell were nominated. But a quick Google shows we've had threads on it here (google for 'Condi Rice pro-choice').

Here's a previous thread:

NBC's Andrea Mitchell, in Today Show Report, Revels in Republican Revolt on Budget (note the documenting article from Weekly Standard and the mention of one from National Review.

For more, google 'Condi Rice abortion'. Anyway, it's always surprised me to see so many FReepers calling for her to run for VP or prez. Maybe for governor of California where an anti-abortion candidate may not be electable. But she has the same basic problem with pro-lifers that Powell or Giuliani has. The only way I see this changing is if Bush appoints a couple of Supremes who send abortion back to the states and then the president's position on abortion is no longer very meaningful. Some GOP leaders have said for a long time that that's what they'd like to do.

If you find more recent stuff or a pro-life affirmation from her, please flag me.

[ExSoldier]

Fair enough. I think that Powell and Rudy are waaaaay more liberal than Condi. They are also very strongly anti-gun. They qualify as RINOs. Not Condi. She has a wonderful story as to how she came to believe in the Republican Party. I totally agree with your assessment that GW should overturn Roe and send the issue back to the States in the second term although I'm not sure that's possible as a matter of timing.

[George W. Bush]

Fair enough. I think that Powell and Rudy are waaaaay more liberal than Condi.

Well, pro-life and pro-affirmative action are the main, perhaps only, reasons I would object to them becoming president. Unless Roe was struck down first and sent back to the states.

You can see why the national GOP would like to see this happen. Leave the Dems holding the bag for a federal right to abortion while the GOP sails on, essentially abortion-free at the national level.

It bears considering. Recall Bush also softened on sending the gay marriage thing back to the states. Maybe the GOP is looking to become a states' rights advocate on social issues. Heh-heh.

[ExSoldier]

Well, pro-life and pro-affirmative action are the main, perhaps only, reasons I would object to them becoming president.

Ranking equal to those has to be a steadfast affirmation of the 2nd Amendment as the right to own and carry (Keep and Bear) firearms. A national reciprocity for Right To Carry permits would be vital. In the final analysis, anti-gun is antiAmerican and antiFREEDOM.