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I don't know...

I have read articles about how George Allen was wrong NOT to pursue voter fraud possiblities in Virginia...and other politicians on OUR side not being more bulldogish..when it comes to those type problems after elections.

Also...I think any "good" candidate doesn't have a chance if the talk show hosts and other media people aren't on board...and I think that DID play a big part in 2006.

I think the constant bashing of the GOP for the border thing...overspending, the war..blah, blah...made too many stay home.

NOW they are whining...

Laura Ingraham was constantly complaining about Bush..every day...leading up to the elections in 2006...you don't think that didn't influence people?? I do...and I think it is a SHAME..I don't like it...but I do believe she and others had a lot of influence.

Just like this upcoming election...

NONE of the main talk show hosts give any credit, and thus very little "air time" to Duncan Hunter's chances.

It is a self-fulfilling prophecy on their part.

How could he get any traction when the media goes around telling his own possible constituents he doesn't have a chance...even though his agenda is SO much closer to the conservative agenda than any of the "frontrunners".

Maybe, Txsleuth, but those R's who won really worked for it. No do overs, as the President said. Hopefully that will not happen again.

Plus it always cheers me when the Dems wallow in preening narcissism LOL suddenly the election of conservative Dems means turning into White Flag Dems and Reps.

They can't help but overplay their hand.

Now it would be a shame if the R's didn't take advantage of it.

You're hopeless. All politics are local. You have to go race by race to determine the factors that resulted in every Dem incumbent winning his/her race and the loss of over 30 Rep seats. A number of national issues affected local outcomes, e.g., the war, the Foley/Cuningham/Weldon et. al. scandals, the split between the WH and most Reps on illegal immigration, the big spending Rep Congress, voter fatigue with the Reps, poor candidates and badly run campaigns, FEMA's handling of Katrina, etc.

You must also give credit to the Dems who did a superb job of selecting candidates and targeting various races, especially in the Northeast. They recruited a bunch of ex- military candidates in an effort to change their image. The also did a good job of voter turnout.

The senate race in Viginia was a good example of effective Dem strategies in selecting and funding candidates and a poorly run campaign by the Rep incumbent. The Dems got Jim Webb, a former Marine, Navy Cross winner, SECNAV under Reagan, and a son on his way to serve in Iraq with the Marines to go against one of the Reps leading conservative lights. Webb ran a spirited primary against Harrison Miller who the WP endorsed over Webb. Webb got the nomination and capitalized on his military background and moderate stances in a state that is trending more liberal but with a significant military presence, retired and active duty. Allen ran a poor campaign including his famous macacca remark, for which the WP crucified him daily for almost two months. Webb barely won, much to my chagrin. I contributed almost $500 to the Allen campaign, but I was disappointed in the amateurish way he ran the campaign.

I think the constant bashing of the GOP for the border thing...overspending, the war..blah, blah...made too many stay home.

Do you have any hard data to support that assertion, i.e., "too many stayed home." What races specifically were affected by a lack of Rep voter turnout compared to the 2002 mid-terms? You can blame the media all you want and rationalize what happened, but the fact is that the Reps lost and the reasons varied district by district and state by state. We have a lot of work to do if we don't want to become the permanent minority party.