Posted on 01/08/2009 9:37:55 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
Bond is the third Republican Senator to leave the chamber in 2010 -- following Sens. Sam Brownback (Kans.) and Mel Martinez (Fla.) down that path. Democrats are expected to heavily target all three seats.
Bond's retirement ends a long -- and, at times, rocky -- career in Missouri politics that began more than four decades ago when he ran and lost a race for Congress. In 1970, Bond bounced back to be elected state auditor and two years after that was elected governor of the Show Me State. In 1976 he was defeated for re-election but in 1980 reclaimed the office. (We told you it was a long and rocky career.) In 1986, Bond won a Senate seat and had managed to hold the seat ever since -- winning re-election to a fourth term in 2004 with 56 percent, his highest share of the vote ever.
Bond's retirement makes a candidacy by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, the daughter of the late Governor Mel and former Senator Jean Carnahan, even more likely. Robin Carnahan had made no secret of the fact she was thinking about the race before Bond's decision. Another potential candidate is state Attorney General Chris Koster although Carnahan has the right of first refusal.
The Republican bench is thinner. The three names likely to get significant attention over the next few days are former Sen. Jim Talent, former Rep. Kenny Hulshof and Rep. Roy Blunt.
Talent, who served in the House during the 1990s, lost a run for governor in 2000 but bounced back two years later to defeat Jean Carnahan. Talent lost to Sen. Claire McCaskill in his bid for a full term in 2006.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
Also Issakson-R, Vitter-r, Boxer-d, Wyden-d, vitter-R,Leahy-D,Lincoln-D.Murkowski-R.Inoue-D,Dorgan-D, Bayh-D,Crappo-R,Bunning-R,Fiengold-D,Grassley-R,Bennett-R, Bennet-d (co)Burris-D(Il) Spcials in Delaware,New York and probably Massachetts. It looks to me like another rough cycle. Some polls show Issakson in trouble in Georgia and Burr in North Carolina.I suspect Bunning in Kentucky does notstand a chance yet is bound to run for reelection. Reid is the only Dem in trouble. I remember reading some time ago that Bayh in Indiana was getting tired of the Senate. Maybe he will not run for reelection. Unless some of the appointed Senators have trouble it looks like another disaster.
At least one of the Texas seats is up.
Time is fast approaching when that crowd will suddenly cease their jeering comments about us trying to corner the market on tin foil. The sad thing is that even if all the naysayers knew we were right and wholeheartedly agreed with our warnings, it STILL couldn't be stopped. The best we can hope for is to slow things down a smidgen. Even that won't happen. We're almost out of time.
The Kenny Hulshof people will probably back Blunt. I could imagine the campaign slogans right now.
Steelman: Vote for me cos I’m a hot babe like Sarah Palin.
Blunt: Steelman is a selfish maverick like McCain. Just like McCain, Steelman takes pleasure in bashing other Republicans.
Robin Carnahan: Remember the glory days of the 90s when we had world peace and record economic growth under my dad, Mel. Happy days will be here again if I am allowed to help Obama change America.
We may be seeing a repeat of that 70’s SHOW. The GOP could shrink to post Watergate levels of power. On the flip side, a Democratic President must deal with a poor economy, energy independence, and a hostile Iran.
Who are the other 20? That is a dismal list, All except McCain are highly vulnerable as of today. Hopefully, ‘10 will be a good GOP year, generally.
The full list is:
GOP
Richard Shelby (AL)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
John McCain (AZ)
Johnny Isakson (GA)
Mike Crapo (ID)
Chuck Grassley (IA)
Jim Bunning (KY)
David Vitter (LA)
Judd Gregg (NH)
Richard Burr (NC)
George Voinovich (OH)
Tom Coburn (OK)
Arlen Specter (PA)
Jim DeMint (SC)
John Thune (SD)
Bob Bennet (UT)
Dems:
Blanche Lincoln (AR)
Barbara Boxer (CA)
Bill Bennet (CO)
Chris Dodd (CT)
Daniel Inyoue (HI)
Roland Burris? (IL)
Evan Byah (IN)
Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Chuck Schumer (NY)
TBD Dem (NY)
Byron Dorgan (ND)
Ron Wyden (OR)
Patrick Leahy (VT)
Patty Murray (WA)
Russ Feingold (WI)
Open Seats:
Missouri (Bond)
Kansas (Brownback)
Florida (Martinez)
Delaware (Kauffman/Biden)
When one looks through the list of 2010 election, nearly all look like easy Democrat wins.
From National Review
One Republican operative in the state tells NRO that “there is Blunt-fatigue in Missouri” after Republican Matt Blunt’s single term as governor, which has left him with very low approval ratings. He worries that Roy Blunt, Matt’s father, may be incapable of defeating Robin Carnahan, a breast-cancer survivor who won her race last year with the highest vote total of any candidate in the history of the state.
But who would take on the old House Bull in a primary? Exiting state Treasurer Sarah Steelman, who ran a spirited conservative reformer’s race in the GOP gubernatorial primary last year, looks like she is ready to run. She ran uphill against Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R.), whom she accused of being part of the problem in Washington — one would expect her to run precisely the same kind of campaign against Blunt.
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder has been mentioned as a possibility, but he has had his eye on the governor’s mansion for a long time and may opt instead to hold out for it. One person no one has heard from, meanwhile is former Sen. Jim Talent (R.).
Honestly, I’m a bit more positive about this. I think we have legitimate shots at several of the democrat-held seats. But a lot of them depend on one or two particular candidates running.
I think Lincoln, Dorgan, Reid, Kennedy?, Burris, Bennet, Inyoue, Dodd, and even Boxer and Feingold can be beaten with the proper fundraising/ campaign messages.
No, Reid hasn’t shifted to the left. He has always been there. It’s the people of NV who are mininformed.
Politico reported earlier in the day that Jim Talent is interested.
I’d like Charlie Kruse.
Thanks. That gives a little more cause for optimism. I’m betting Grassley is the next R to announce his retirement. Other than IL/AR, most of the D’s look pretty secure at this moment ... the coming 2 years should be intersting.
I’m not familiar with him. I looked on the net and found an insurance agent from Dexter. It appeared to be an outdated page but could it be the same? If you think he’s good, I’m ready to learn all about him.
Thanks for the complete list!
http://www.dailystatesman.com/story/1485365.html
A short article on Charlie in home town paper.
I always hoped he would run for Governor of Mo. I’m not even sure he’d want to enter politics but he is an honest and good man.I certainly think he would be a good Senator or Governor.
“LA’s Vitter is also highly vulnerable.”
The state GOP establishment is foolishly rallying around him. He may have serious primary opposition.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2153507/posts
Kruse is mentioned in this article.
BTW, I live in Dexter.
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