[fieldmarshaldj]

I'm sure I can think of a few seats, though I'm a bit tired and soon to head off to bed, but the Dennis Moore seat comes to mind (although that's not an open seat, of course). Another one, albeit not a GOP seat, but one that could prove competitive, Maine-2 in '02, when we put up a pro-abort RINO against a pro-life Dem (and lo and behold, the pro-life Dem won, despite claims by certain predictable groups that he was "out of touch"). Michaud might still have won against a Conservative GOPer, but we won't know for sure. Another one was Rick Lazio's NY-2nd district in 2000 when the GOP had the brilliant notion to run a very liberal Black lady for the seat, and she was obliterated in a 4-person contest.

[Torie]

Competence beyond ideology of course matters (Lazio's district perhaps), and in Moore's district, the Pubbies have tried "RINO's" and "conservatives," and both lose. That is why I don't think Huffman is the "solution" per se in Kolbe's district. He doesn't strike my as that effective. But I think he would have a substantially better chance than Graf. If Graf wins the primary, unless and until I see a creditable poll to the contrary, the seat will move to heavy lean Dem to weak Likely Dem in my mind.