GOP Faces Tough Odds for 2008 Senate Comeback [Unless...]

Congressional Quarterly ^ | Jun. 05, 2007 | Staff

[Sleeping Beauty]

Republican Party strategists, even under expected circumstances, knew they faced a difficult imbalance in the 2008 lineup of Senate races. The GOP have 21 seats to defend to just 12 for the Democrats.

Moreover, the political landscape in those 33 states looks forbidding, at least at this early stage of the 2008 campaign cycle. CQPolitics.com’s current ratings of the races show five contests for Republican-held seats that appear highly competitive to just two for Democratic-held seats.

So it was with some political trepidation, along with sadness, that Republican officials received the news Monday night that Wyoming Republican Sen. Craig Thomas had died of leukemia at age 74.

State law requires the interim appointment of a member of the departed incumbent’s party — a Republican, in this case — to soon to fill the vacancy, even though Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is a Democrat. But the law also sets up a special election in November 2008 to fill the remaining four years of the unexpired term Thomas won just last November.

It is unlikely that this unscheduled contest will rise initially into the competitive race category, given Wyoming’s normally strong Republican proclivities. But it will give the GOP a 22nd seat to defend, and could cause at least some diversion of vital campaign resources — especially if the Democrats, emboldened by the six-seat gain in 2006 that gave them their narrow control of the Senate, were to decide to throw some political venture capital into the race.

[Prokopton]

Iowa - Gov. Pawlenty would make a good running mate for every one of the front-runners. This could help us in the senate race in this neighboring state (and also in South Dakota).

Which will make up for the loss of RINO Coleman who, quite deservedly, will lose in 2008.

[bill1952]

we can hold and win Senate seats IF -- and only if -- we elect a Republican president.

Sorry, but I do not see any logic in that statement at all. It flies in the face of historical precedent, and having Bush as president surely didn't do snot in 06.

Now if you replace that word "republican" with conservative candidates who we broken glass republicans can really support" then guess what?

I will bet real money on the GOP holding and winning other Congressional seats. Its not rocket science, but the GOP has lost my active support with all of the recent neo liberal, sell out American culture to garner potential future voters, courses of action.

I will support individual GOP candidates as I can, but the GOP will no longer have my support until I see real action on the value issues that move me. - and I see the end of the modern GOP as a major winner in American politics as it speeds down the highway to the lowest common denominator.

>

[bill1952]

Rudy is showing very well in this state (and also in New Jersey and Pennsylvania).

Stopped reading right there. - If you believe that the GOP will ever win either of those states again, then you are too far within the Matrix to be saved.

- Watch and remember after the 08 disasters that I stated that. 8^)

[OldArmy52]

“Moreover, the political landscape in those 33 states looks forbidding,...”

Well, who is surprised by that prediction in view of how Bush is working hard to not only create tens of millions of new Dem voters but to also destroy the Republican Party in the process.

[Sleeping Beauty]

Yes, yes, yes!

Great analysis in your post. “Electability” here at FR may be a different animal that electability throughout the nation.

That is the point of the thread, really.

[BurtSB]

Hello . The reason Reid and Kennedy are pushing this amnesty bill is because plan to run PHONY ANTI-AMNESTY conservative Dems against these fools such as Graham, Saxby, Domenic, and Voleicki ( OH) etc.. ) The bill is a smart strategy , killing the repub party in the next en years with a flood of new dems and wiping out the repub base support for these fools who may win the repub primary but lose the general election . Karl Rove and Jorge are IDIOTS and sell outs to there large donors!

[darkangel82]

Coleman is a lot less RINO than losers Hagel and Graham.

[CAluvdubya]

Take good look at us over here in CA. The same strategy was applied to Ahnold....better him than a D. Well, it's turned out not to be so true. None of our state R reps speak out against Ahnold because of that little R next to his name. What did we get??? A Dem in R clothing who is all for illegal amnesty!

I can't see how it's helping us.

[mtnwmn]

You would vote for a RINO if a “real” Republican doesn’t win the primary, and, if you give a hoot about America. If you don’t, stay home, vote for a Democrat, or Third Party. The outcome will be the same.

[Wonder Warthog]

"For that reason, I will vote for ANYONE who wins the nomination -- even Rudy or Ron Paul."

Nope. Not gonna happen. No Rudy, no McCain. They're as bad as Hillary.

[JSDude1]

Who cares most republican spend, act, pander, and show no backbone, lack morals, just like DEMOCRATS. That’s why I don’t support the party anymore, I just support and vote for candidates. What we really NEED is a new Conservative party to take he place of the (on its last breaths-especially if Illigal Immigration Reform Passes) the Old GOP, Republican Party

[dforest]

Looks like a very manipulative article. If we lose these seats, not much will change because we frittered away the leadership and left ourselves with the guys that can’t decide which party they are in.

[Redmen4ever]

I’m sure we can get the Republican caucus in the Senate down to 40 if we try hard enough.

Then we can have socialized medicine, the homosexual agenda, open borders, multi-culturalism, a value added tax PLUS higher income taxes, the return of inflation, ...

oh, did I forget to mention gas rationing? Alternate driving days, a federally-imposed speed limit and a nationwide gun ban.

Let’s alienate all the voters and their representatives who might possibly align with us on the majority of issues, and then what? Purity?

Who says we don’t believe in suicide-bombers!

Let me do the math:

49 minus Hagel and Graham = 47

minus Coleman = 46

How about Gordon Smith, Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins?

The way I figure it, we’re down to 42, and only two votes shy of not being able to sustain a filibuster.

Any nominations?

I’m sure if we search real hard, we will find that last remaining Senator to kick out of the caucus, so that our country can go down the tubes, along with Venezuela, Zimbabwe, the country formerly known as Zaire.

USA 1776-2007 it was fun while it lasted!

[freekitty]

If I have to fun my dogs for office; there is no way these traitors will stay in office.

[riri]

After they pass this immigration bill...who really cares? I could care less who wins. We are a decade away from a President Salazar and a cabinet full of Hernandez’s, Trujillos and Velasquez’s. Calilfornia style.

[tennmountainman]

“You can take that to the bank.”

Ironic Bush propably won’t give Libby “Amnesty” or a Pardon.

Yet he is willing to give 12-20 million ILLEGALS a “Pardon”.

Go figure.

[tennmountainman]

Graham, what a loser. Even his own GOP convention booed him.

[A CA Guy]

Ron Paul has about as much chance of becoming President as Ru Paul.

[saganite]

What about me? I’m so damn fed up with Republicans and their lies to the base I’m voting third party and really don’t give a rip if 10 new Dem Senators and 30 new Dem Reps get elected. If we’re going to hell in a handbasket at least we’ll get there quicker with the Dems in charge.

[bill1952]

Who says we don’t believe in suicide-bombers!

I'm sorry, but that post was inchoate rambling.

Do not point that finger at voters who will not vote for anyone just because they have a R next to their respective names.

Rather point that finger squarely at the candidate who have alienated the real base that delivers real victory.

Without them, there is no base at all, just another rainbow coalition incrementally shuffling it's way to the same platform as the middle of the political road Democrat Senators.

In such a case then TS, and goodbye to the GOP.

Purity? - How about something more than high spending, pro immigration, Spanish pandering nitwits who do not understand that those other groups that you speak of - and that they believe are their future - to come to the fore?

I’m sure we can get the Republican caucus in the Senate down to 40 if we try hard enough.

It is not up to us to make such people electable. - It is up to them to rise to the challenge or pass into the footnotes of history.