Retiring GOP senators steer clear of primaries — for now

rollcall.com ^ | 9/30/21 | Bridget Bowman

[cotton1706]

A handful of open Senate seats have drawn a crowd of Republicans vying to replace outgoing GOP senators. Those senators are mostly staying neutral in the primaries — at least for now.

Alabama’s Richard C. Shelby is so far the only retiring senator to take sides in a primary, backing his former chief of staff, Katie Britt. While others weigh picking a favorite, the primary fields have continued to grow. In some races, vocal backers of Donald Trump are battling each other to succeed senators who have openly criticized the former president or have built reputations as legislative deal-makers.

Two of the retiring senators, Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania and Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, voted to convict Trump after his impeachment on charges of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Burr said last week that he has no plans to endorse a primary candidate in North Carolina, noting that he has not traditionally done so.

Burr has spoken positively about former Gov. Pat McCrory, who is seeking the GOP nomination against Rep. Ted Budd, whom Trump has endorsed, and former Rep. Mark Walker.

“I think my quote was ‘He’s the only candidate, looking at polls, that can win a general election,’” Burr said of his remarks to Politico in June. Asked last week if that amounted to an endorsement, Burr said, “No.”

[cotton1706]

Oh, you mean they haven't chimed in on who their own replacement should be??

God forbid the people should actually choose their own representative without the advice of the CURRENT representative!!

The real reason: it's likely the kiss of death for whoever they'd choose.

And we know who they'd choose anyway. Shelby wants his aide to succeed him. Burr wants McCrory. Toomey wants the most liberal republican running. The same with Portman and Blunt.

But the author would have us believe that the people in the individual states are on pins and needles just waiting for their endorsements.

Please!

[Nifster]

Cowards each and everyone

[SunkenCiv]

I wish they'd thought of it a few years ago.

[Paladin2]

“God forbid the people should actually choose their own representative without the advice of the CURRENT representative!!”

Tony Kennedy selected Justice Kav as his replacement.

[Fledermaus]

At least Shelby, Burr and Toomey are leaving. Good riddance.

[Mr. K]

Remember the last major candidate they thought “Could win”... Mitt Romney? The biggest loser the GOP ever supported

Remember the last major candidate they thought NEVER could win? Who won in a landslide so big that he defeated all the democrats attempts to push HilLIARy over the top? And who the democrats had to launch the entire fraudulent ball of wax?

[Howie66]

Wish we could get rid of John “Wayne” Cornyn. Alas, that SOB just won reelection.

[Little Ray]

Hey!
Don’t forget Bob Dole. He was pretty poor candidate.

[Pollard]

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt said he is currently not planning to endorse in the Republican primary, but he did not rule it out.

“Almost everybody in that primary has been helpful to me. And their supporters have almost all been helpful to me,” Blunt said. “And my current view is that I hope not to have to become involved in the primary.”

Blunt was mum on what might push him to become involved, saying he will “just have to see how it plays out.”

The GOP primary field in Missouri includes Reps. Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long, state Attorney General Eric Schmitt, and lawyer Mark McCloskey, who made national headlines last year for brandishing a gun when Black Lives Matter protesters were near his home. Another Senate hopeful is former Gov. Eric Greitens, who left office in 2018 amid multiple scandals, including allegations of sexual misconduct and blackmail, which he denied.

Asked if there was a concern about Greitens’ candidacy, Blunt said, “I didn’t say that. I said we’ll see how it plays out,” before heading to the Senate floor.

Definitely not McCloskey. Tough call between Hartzler, Long, Schmitt and Greitens. Greitens did cheat on his wife if nothing else and I think a lot of Christians will hold that against him. I'd hate to see a dem win the general because of that. Long and Hartzler are both conservative and very pro Trump.

[Republican Wildcat]

That’s why there is currently a Dem governor of Louisiana (your concern with Greitens) - though strangely the voters did forgive him for that in his prior race for re-election as to Senate, but it was recycled in his next race and they were not willing to overlook it that time.

Hartzler defeated a very long time incumbent (34 years, 17 terms) when she won her seat.