Posted on 01/23/2005 4:52:19 PM PST by KidGlock
3 GOP Lawmakers May Seek Governors' Seats By DAVID ESPO ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) - Less than a month into a new, two-year Congress, the line is forming among House members considering their next career moves.
Republican Rep. C.L. (Butch) Otter of Idaho is all but officially running for governor of his state, and GOP Reps. Jim Nussle of Iowa and Jim Gibbons of Nevada both seem headed in the same direction in theirs.
All three have filed paperwork signaling interest in running.
"We will run a vigorous campaign," said one former Idaho governor, Phil Batt, leaving no doubt about Otter's intentions.
Nussle and Gibbons say they expect to make announcements in the next few months about their plans.
Nussle, elected to Congress in 1990 at the age of 30, said in a recent statement that he is "humbled that so many Iowans believe my leadership will help make Iowa a better place to live, work, raise a family and retire in dignity."
Gibbons' interest in running for governor was evident two years ago, when he rebuffed party recruiters seeking a challenger for Democratic Sen. Harry Reid in 2004. Additionally, Gibbons' wife is talking about a possible run to replace her husband in the House. If both run and win, she would wind up with twin public roles - first lady of Nevada and member of Congress.
Nussle's district in northeastern Iowa probably would offer Democrats the most tempting target of the three in 2006. He won re-election with 55 percent of the vote last year. Gibbons won a fifth term in November with 67 percent support. Otter topped that in conservative Idaho, gaining close to 70 percent.
Nussle, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has had by far the highest national profile of the three would-be governors. Democrats had a majority when he was elected to Congress, and he quickly joined forces with other GOP self-styled reformers to create the Gang of Seven.
Their most memorable moment came when they placed paper bags over their heads on the House floor to draw attention to Democratic refusals to disclose lawmaker overdrafts at the House bank.
Other Republican House members are potential candidates for statewide office.
Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois has been canvassing support for a possible gubernatorial run, and Rep. Mark Green has expressed interest in Wisconsin. Rep. Katherine Harris of Florida is another possibility. She flirted with a senatorial campaign in 2004 before running for re-election to the House. Rep. Mark Kennedy of Minnesota is a potential candidate for the Senate, as well.
Some Democrats are considering their career options, too.
The party's Senate recruiters are interested in Rep. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island as they look for a challenger for a GOP-held seat. Rep. Ted Strickland is a potential contender for statewide office in Ohio, and Rep. Harold Ford may run in Tennessee.
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It's a Senate tradition for the two political parties to advertise their priorities by revealing their top 10 pieces of legislation with a flourish at the beginning of a new Congress.
Two years ago, Republicans made a Medicare prescription drug bill tops on their list. This time, they are expected to make President Bush's call for overhauling Social Security Bill Number 1.
Tax reform, energy, limitations on lawsuits and measures relating to the war against terror also are on the list, according to several officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Democrats intend to make an increase in the size of the armed forces their top bill, according to several officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. More prescription drug coverage under the new Medicare law is also on the list, as is education legislation.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry campaigned for a 30,000-member increase in the size of the military last year. Senate Democrats have been thinking about raising that to 40,000.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because public announcements are scheduled for Monday.
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Senate Republicans rolled out one priority on Friday - legislation to give tax-free $100,000 death benefits to survivors of active-duty personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The current benefit is $12,400.
"Twelve thousand dollars is a paltry and miserly amount. In fact, it's insulting," Sen. George Allen, R-Va., said at a news conference Friday with several other Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. Allen said $100,000 is on par with death benefits that families of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty receive from local governments.
The legislation would be retroactive to Oct. 1, 2001, when military action began in Afghanistan, less than a month after terrorists struck the United States.
Also under the proposal, the children of a serviceman or servicewoman killed in Iraq or Afghanistan would receive free health insurance until the age of 18, or 22 if enrolled in school. Currently, dependents receive medical benefits for three years at no cost.
It is indeed blessed to read of the accession of these GOP Gents to the process of gubernatorial electoralization.
Also, speaking from the grass roots level here in the Garden State, I am happy to report that the State of New Jersey is just about reaching a critical mass in regards to its relationship with the democrats in Trenton.
Lets just say that if the Democrats are the abusive husband and the taxpayers are the battered wife; we taxpayers are just gearing up to give those scum buckets a black eye of their own before we head out the door, FOR GOOD.
The potential exists for NJ to become a solid GOP state for a very long time. We currently have a rich field of candidates headed by Doug Forrester. I for one cannot wait to pull the GOP lever to finally boot out the McGreevey Machine.
New Jersey is sick and tired of this corrupt Democratic Machine ruining our beloved state.
Presidents don't come directly out of the House, and seldom out of the Senate.
Governorships lead to presidencies OR to the upper chamber.
With Rob Andrews's endorsement of Corzine for Governor, it seems quite likely that Codey will not enter the Dem. primary. Without a bloody Democrat primary batter, neither Schundler nor Forrester have a snowball's chance in hell against Corzine. Corzine will be the next governor and Menendez the next Senator with Andrews replacing Lautenberg two years hence.
How good do you suppose Harold Ford Jr.'s chances for the Senate are considering the info on the other thread about his uncle?
From what I read on that thread, probably very good---just like the Jackson dynasty in Illinois!!!
*ping* Congressmen running for Governor in '06
ID - Butch Otter (excellent chances, served as Lt Gov before Congress)
IA - Jim Nussle (open seat, good chance, though his seat could flip to the 'Rats)
NV - Jim Gibbons (good chance for the nomination, but put personal ambition above the good of the party - could've dispatched Harry Reid by a decent margin)
The race to succeed Butch Otter is will be decided in the Republican primary. State Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and state Controller Keith Johnson are possible candidates.
In the race to succeed Jim Nussle, both parties will likely have multi-candidate primaries, with 'Rats marginally favored to pick up the seat.
The race to succeed Jim Gibbons features a primary between Secretary of State Dean Heller and state Representative Dawn Gibbons. Conservatives are talking about a possible candidacy by state Senator Marurice Washington. Republicans will hold this seat.
Beat ya by 42 seconds. ;-)
Good prediction. If Jon "ATM machine" Corzine is elected Governor, then Republicans have a shot at his Senate seat. Possible candidates include state Senator Thomas Kean, Jr., Congressman Frank LoBiondo, and state Senator William Gormley (who won't run if LoBiondo runs).
Oh, brother... that's all we need is another Kean. His dad is a phony (nevermind being a super-RINO), and I'll bet the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...
Jim Gibbons may want to run for President some day. He would be replacing RINO Kenny Guinn. We'd be fortunate to expand our pool of Governors. And I think we'll have more than a quite a few names that will stand out in Flyover Country in '08.
I lost all respect for Gibbons when he failed to run against Reid. Even if he had lost narrowly, he would've been in the catbird's seat to run for Governor. Contrast Gibbons with Sen. John Thune. Thune really didn't want to run for the Senate in '02, he wanted to head to Pierre to become Governor (which would've been his for the asking), but Thune put the party ahead of himself, and the country as a whole benefitted because of his sacrifice.
When Howard Henry Baker, Jr., left the Senate in early 1985, he practically paved the way for his Democrat successor, Albert Arnold Gore, Jr., landslide winner in 1984. Baker's stand-in was a very weak candidate.
Has Bill Frist sought to recruit anyone to run for his seat in 2006? Or is Frist imitating Baker in turning over his seat to another ambitious Democrat.
Harold Ford could run if Frist's seat is open. Expect the legacy media to crown him another Barack Obama.
From what I have heard, the Republican governor of NV has screwed up big time and has sucked upto the liberals. Time to dump him.
From what I have heard, the Republican governor of NV has screwed up big time and has sucked upto the liberals. Time to dump him.
Yes, and Guinn has had many counterparts just in recent years, including George Ryan in IL, Bob Riley in AL, Bob Taft III in OH, John Rowland in CT, Judy Martz in MT. It is quite a long and unnecessarily foolish list, isn't it?
Well, Frist announced in 2003, I believe, that he would not run in 2006. So maybe they will find Ford related to Obama, and TN can vote in a counterpart to Obama.
I cannot imagine how Thomas Kean was every elected to anything. He does nothing for me.
The interesting thing is how did these people fool the Republicans into voting for them. I expect the median Republican to be smarter than a Democrat.
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