Vulnerable Ark. Dem faces Senate primary challenge (There are no "Conservative" Rats!)

google ^ | 3/2/2010 | AP

[tobyhill]

Faced with a primary challenge from Arkansas' lieutenant governor, Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln found herself in the precarious position Monday of fending off angry liberal activists on the left as well as conservative Republicans on the right in her effort to keep her seat in the Senate.

Lincoln, who is considered one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents, was pressed to address the new Democratic threat hours after Lt. Gov. Bill Halter announced he would challenge her in Arkansas' May 18 primary.

The development means that Lincoln could now have two of the party's most formidable campaign forces, the liberal group MoveOn.org, and organized labor working against her. After Halter's announcement, the AFL-CIO's political committee approved a motion in support of him, according to a union official. Three unions had already pledged $3 million to help Halter's campaign.

[saganite]

If the guy beats her in the primary Arkansas voters will have a clear choice. It sounds like he’s an avowed liberal. Any idea who the Republican challenger is likely to be?

[tobyhill]

Any Republican can beat any Rat at this point.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"The Service Employees International Union in December said it would help Halter retire his debt from his 2006 lieutenant governor campaign"

This sounds like the real reason he's running. I'm glad she's getting a challenge in the primary to further weaken her by draining her funds. However, if this guy beats her in the primary, I'm not sure thats a good thing. If she's a lame duck Senator, she might say screw it and vote for whatever Obama wants. Right now, she has to vote to the right for any chance of a win in November.

[tobyhill]

This is going to be a nationwide trend if this so-called healthcare bill passes in any way, shape or form.
The Tea Parties are for real and they won't be kind to anyone voting for this Government takeover. Obama should have hung up the spikes when he caught a break after Brown got elected. At least then he had an excuse to drop it.

[TomGuy]

If his numbers are significantly better than hers [which won’t take much to accomplish], I foresee her being one of those who decides to retire. She may have more clout as a retiring senator than as a defeated sitting senator.

Most of the GOP contenders seem to be polling higher than she is.

[timeflies]

He pushed the legal gambling in Arkansas and now we have lines at the gas stations with people buying tickets. It is supposed to be for education.

[hope]

He’s the populist choice that all the progressive bloggers are putting money on.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Polling data shows she would beat Halter in the primary at this point. Congressman John Boozman, the likely GOP nominee, beats them both by wide margins.