Republicans eye November gains as Beau Biden rejects Senate run

Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | January 25, 2010 | Toby Harnden

[Schnucki]

Republican hopes of major gains in November's mid-term congressional elections have been boosted by a new report that identified 58 Democratic-held seats in the House of Representatives as vulnerable.

A new assessment by the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report has moved a dozen more Democratic seats in the House into the vulnerable column. Now, 58 Democratic-held seats are "in play" compared to just 14 Republican-held seats.

And in the latest blow to President Barack Obama's Democrats, Beau Biden, attorney general of Delaware, abandoned plans to run for the Senate seat that his father Vice-President Joe Biden occupied for 36 years until 2008.

The younger Mr Biden, 40, who recently served in Iraq as a US army lawyer, was until recently thought to be certain to run. But with the Obama-Biden administration's popularity plummeting, his name could have been a liability rather than an asset in November.

His decision makes Representative Mike Castle, a Republican, the overwhelming favourite to take the seat.

Mr Biden's decision will increase unease in the party a week after Democrats lost their super-majority of 60 to 40 votes in the Senate when Republican Scott Brown claimed the Massachusetts seat that the late Edward Kennedy had held since 1952.

Republicans need to win 10 Democratic-held seats out of the 16 up for grabs in November to win a majority of 51 to 49 votes in the Senate. For the first time, Republican strategists are beginning to believe it might be possible.

The Rothenberg report did not assess the vulnerability of Democratic-held Senate seats but Republican operatives now view at least nine as possible gains. In addition, Senator Joe Lieberman, who votes with Democrats, is suspected by some as considering switching his party affiliation.

Mr Obama's Democrats are even more fearful of losing control of the 435-member House of

[GeronL]

I thought the chance of the GOP winning a Senate majority were slim but now it looks possible. Probably even the House could be captured, which would be great.

Looks like this whole GovCare thing is working like a charm.

for the GOP.

[saganite]

The most conservative estimate of pickups [not including Brown’s ;^)] in the Senate is 3-5. 7 is more likely. 9 would constitute a landslide vote against Obama. Anyway, we still have many, many months to go til the election and things can certainly change in a hurry, especially if Health Care dies and the electorate forgets about it.

[AvgGuyIA]

On the evening of Scott Brown’s Massachusetts victory, I sent a message to my Congressman, Bruce Braley (D-IA-1) and said “You’re next!”

I hope you all do the same too. :)

[mwl8787]

I called my RAT congressman with the same message.

I would rather the RATS control the House next year by 220-215 and the Senate 51-49 or thereabouts. Give the RATS nominal control of both chambers and zero operational control. Don’t want BO to be able to run against the GOP Congress in 2012 - like Clinton successfully did.

[Defiant]

I wonder why Beau would choose not to run? At this stage, they've gotta figure he would win, Scott Brown notwithstanding. Maybe he doesn't want his father's life. Or maybe he's got skeletons...naah, that doesn't matter to Dems. Maybe....get this.....he's more conservative than old Dad. He did just get back from a tour in Iraq.

Anyone have a good feel for why?

[Madistan]

Only a snob would name their kid Beau.

[bicyclerepair]

FL-20 (wasserman BLECH) Robert Lowry is running against her. She ran unopposed the last 3 times. She needs to go!

[VeniVidiVici]

The son won’t even run to take his dad’s spot. That should tell you of the non-existant coattails of this administration.

[PMAS]

I thought the polls showed Beau trailing Mike Castle who is or was a republican congressman from Delaware

[Pollster1]

Republican hopes of major gains in November's mid-term congressional elections have been boosted by a new report that identified 58 Democratic-held seats in the House of Representatives as vulnerable.

The socialists hold 256 seats, all of which are up for election this year (and every two years). We can't just focus on the 58 most vulnerable. We need to write off the 100-150 worst districts and challenge the liberals in every other district. Let's see if they can defend 100-150 seats against real challenges ... with Obama in the news on a daily basis!

[Defiant]

Maybe it was polling, but I’ve got to believe they think that they can hold that seat 10 months from now, no matter what happened in Mass. Even if it looks bad now, they think that things will be better by then, and that TARP money will be spent strategically to help the election. Who knows, they won’t tell, but I have a suspicion that there was some reason other than bad polls that he is not running. Maybe he doesn’t want to be his Dad.

[AvgGuyIA]

“I called my RAT congressman with the same message.

I would rather the RATS control the House next year by 220-215 and the Senate 51-49 or thereabouts. Give the RATS nominal control of both chambers and zero operational control. Don’t want BO to be able to run against the GOP Congress in 2012 - like Clinton successfully did.”

I think ruling over us as a moderate goes against Obama’s very fiber. Look for this non-Democrat and his fellow socialists to push their agenda even harder — a la Obama’s campaign manager David Plouffe coming back on board for the final blow to freedom in America.