Shaken senators start prep for 2012

Politico ^ | 19 Nov 2010 | Manu Raju

[Vigilanteman]

The 2010 campaign has so rattled senators up for reelection in 2012 that they’re already moving quickly to figure out how to survive.

Veteran Democrats such as Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico are weighing retirement. Establishment Republicans such as Orrin Hatch of Utah and Dick Lugar of Indiana are already moving to fend off potential primaries from the right. Freshmen like Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Jon Tester of Montana are stepping up fundraising, and red-state Democrats like Claire McCaskill of Missouri are talking up their independence from the party.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45320.html#ixzz15lQqVY6V

[DarthVader]

They see angry storm clouds on the horizon and the agony of defeat.

[digger48]

Let’s cough up and spit out Lugar!

[hosepipe]

The TpCaucus continue to grow steadily daily EVEryWHEre..
Yes.... in NYC and Chicago too.. (Jaws theme)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCfWHqrYUqo

[DariusBane]

“...Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico are weighing retirement”

We can only hope!

Shaken Senator Syndrome. We need to give all of these POS this syndrome.

[RickB444]

I like my senators shaken not stirred.

[huldah1776]

I was wondering why claire mckill was for cutting earmarks. Would you want Jim Talent back?

[BlessingsofLiberty]

Jeff Bingaman....grrrrr

If he runs again, I look forward to working for his opponent.

Vile little creature....needs to go!!!

[scory]

It occurs to me that perhaps the Tea Party people should focus their attention on some of the RAT primaries. Especially in states or districts where anyone with a (D) after their name is assured a win. Why not put up a primary challenge to the Barney Franks and Chuck Shumers? Run the primary challenges just as a standard RAT would run it - from the far left - then, if the Tea Party candidate wins he/she would move right in the general (as the RATs always do) only, instead of shifting left again after the office is won they actually stay right or move farther right.

It’s not like the people who elect them would notice. After all we are talking about people most of whom are only marginally literate and many of whom have to bussed to the polls every election day because they would otherwise spend the day at the track, at the local tavern or glued to the TV set.

You would have to give the movement a different name. Call it “United Progressives” or something.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I would only caution yinz all that they can marshall all their forces and every trick in the book to hang on to a Senate seat. Look at Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Lisa Murkowski, et. al. Need to find a way to smash thru as we did in the House races.

[Grams A]

And you can bet your bippee that Cornyn is already meeting with all 13 Republicans to find out what he can do as head of NRSC to ensure their re-election. No more young upstarts to rock their boat.

[proudpapa]

Let’s analyze the Democratic Sen. incumbents for the 2014 elections:

Mark Begich of Alaska...gone
Mark Pryor of Arkansas...gone
Mark Udall of Colorado...toss-up
Chris Coons of Delaware...probably safe.
Dick Durbin of Illinois...toss-up
Tom Harkin of Iowa...toss-up.
Mary Landrieu of Louisiana...gone.
John Kerry of Massachusetts...safe.
Carl Levin of Michigan...will be 79...gone
Al Franken of Minnesota...toss-up.
Max Baucus of Montana...gone.
Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire...toss-up.
Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey...toss-up.
Tom Udall of New Mexico...toss-up.
Kay Hagan of North Carolina...gone.
Jeff Merkley of Oregon...toss-up.
Jack Reed of Rhode Island...safe
Tim Johnson of South Dakota...gone...Noem?
Mark Warner of Virginia...toss-up.
Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia...probably safe.

That gives us 7 + 9 toss-ups. All the (R) seats look safe. Yes, 2014 should be a great year!

[heiss]

there is only one vote that matters in the lame-duck session: amnesty
Any senator who votes for that in the filibuster phase, must be voted out, and we must let them know it asap.

Maybe some of them learned their lesson.

[BobP]

The Tea Party is like a bright light shining down on Washington. Watch the roaches scurry.

--------------------------

[ichabod1]

Pshaw, things didn’t go that badly for the dems in the senate. Full steam ahead.

[PoloSec]

Rino’s can run; but they can’t hide.

[muawiyah]

Definitely. Lugar is missing a lot of little somethings these days.

[rhinohunter]

If republicans FORCE the left to defend its programs by voting the proper things out of the house, senate democrats will be stuck between a rock and the Hussein White House.

You are so correct. The GOP failure to get control of the Senate can actually be a blessing in many ways -- IF the House GOP plays its cards right -- they are in a great position to REALLY put the screws to the red-state rats up in '12.

[tocantinssea]

Maybe they're not the only senators hoping to run in 2012...

[prairiebreeze]

Here’s a tip for them....don’t vote for radical Obama agenda crap that the nation doesn’t want. Like repealing DADT.

[Deo volente]

Lautenberg, one of your “toss ups”, will be 90 years old (almost 91, in fact) come election time. He's also battled cancer recently. That's a retirement waiting to happen.