In the Race for the Senate, Democrats Show Signs of Life

Center for politics ^ | 120111 | Larry J. Sabato, Kyle Kondik and Geoffrey Skelley,

[Fred]

The Senate’s curious and byzantine rules and traditions are well explained in Robert Caro’s Master of the Senate, part of his sprawling, multi-volume biography of Lyndon B. Johnson (the fourth volume is scheduled to be released next year). Johnson, through his own cunning and ruthlessness, was arguably the most powerful Senate leader ever, as he bent the supposedly uncontrollable upper chamber to his will.

In one anecdote from the book, Johnson — characteristically — split the difference between liberals and conservatives in the Senate by ramming through a modest increase in the minimum wage. Johnson got the bill passed by holding a vote when the bill’s biggest opponents — liberals who wanted a bigger increase and conservatives who wanted no increase at all — weren’t on the floor. After the bill passed, one absent senator, Florida Democrat Spessard Holland, raced up to LBJ, demanding to know what happened. “Well, Spessard, I had a little vote. If you fellows aren’t on the job around here, I’ve got legislation to pass,” Johnson said.

As the Crystal Ball takes a fresh look at the race for control of the Senate, Republicans, unlike some of their predecessors during that sudden Senate vote in LBJ’s Senate, need to stay on the job, lest their seemingly inexorable march to a Senate majority be derailed.

For months, Republicans have been the ones to expand the playing field of competitive Senate seats this year, most notably thanks to the retirements of Democratic Sens. Jeff Bingaman (NM) and Herb Kohl (WI), which turned safe Democratic seats into toss ups.

[pabianice]

PLEASE don’t link to articles blocked by register popups.

[wbill]

Dick Morris’s lunch alert seems to paint a better picture for GOP.

I heard a bombshell yesterday.

Mrs WBill informed me that her mother, a life-long Southern Dem who still introduces me (after 10+ years) as "That Yankee Republican" ....

....will NOT be voting for any of the incumbents in 2012. I said, "Does that include Obama and (our current resident idiot governor) Bev Perdue?".

She said "Especially them." Apparently, my M-I-L took a look at her 401K and wasn't all that happy about what's been happening to it over the past 2-3 years. Between that and her real estate investments, and all of the ObamaCare falderol, she's been taking a real beating.

She still has time to change her mind. But knowing her as I do, I don't see that happening. I figure that the Devil is getting fitted for ice skates about now. Good news, IMO. If that's not a good sign for the GOP, I dunno what is.

[NEWwoman]

Did not know Dick Morris lunch alerts were a such problem, especially since I’ve seen them posted in main news articles on FR.

[NEWwoman]

There is hope for a change if GOP does not get the blame for the financial woes. But a good sign.

Merry Christmas!

[Impy]

Signs of life? We always knew Massachusetts rats would challenge Brown, this is not a fresh development Larry! I still expect him to win. Warren doesn’t seem particularly threatening to me. MA and NV are our only seats in tangible danger.

And North Dakota? Heidi Heitkamp? Holy crap, I’m shaking in boots! She hasn’t been on the ballot since 2000. Sabato even admits she won’t “likely” win. ND is still the easiest Gain. Even money one whether she’ll even outpoll Obama in the state.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING! Click on the flag to go to the Free Republic New Mexico message page.

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)

[GOPsterinMA]

“I still expect him (Brown) to win.”

Me too. Warren makes Marcia Coakley look like a super-friendly lapdog.

[afraidfortherepublic]

And it goes double for the Wisconsin State Senate since the Dems keep trying to recall the Pubbies.