U.S. Senate 2004: Four Down, Two More to Go?

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[Theodore R.]

U.S. Senate '04: Four Down, Two More to Go? by John Gizzi Posted Sep 23, 2003

Four of the 34 U.S. Senators up for election next year have announced their exiting--Zell Miller (Ga.), John Edwards (N.C.), and Ernest Hollings (S.C.), Democrats all, and Republican Peter Fitzgerald (Ill.)

Now, signs are ominous that the next two senatorial shoes to drop will be those of Republican Don Nickles (Okla.) and Democrat John Breaux (La.). Word on the D.C. cocktail circuit over the weekend was that four-termer and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Nickles was anxious to make more money in the private sector, as was Breaux (who has been courted for every seven-figure lobbying job from legislative pointman of the Recording Industry Association of America to succeeding Jack Valenti as head of the Motion Picture Association of America).

Democratic Rep. Brad Carson, one of his party's few bright lights in the Sooner State, has signaled he will run for the Senate if Nickles bails. Similarly, Republican Rep. Ernest Istook, stalwart conservative and key Appropriations Committee Member, wants to run, while former Rep. J.C. Watts, the last black Republican in the House, is also being touted for an open Senate seat (although Watts-watchers say that he is thoroughly enjoying his current niche as chairman of Newt Gingrich's old GOPAC and corporate board member). All bets are off on the Republican side if popular former two-term Gov. Frank Keating decides to forego his current job as head of the American Council of Life Insurers and return to the hustings.

Louisiana Democrats insist that Breaux will hold off an announcement until at least November to pump up friend and fellow Democrat, Rep. Chris John, for succession; the near-certain GOP candidate is staunch conservative Rep. David Vitter. Louisiana is the lone Southern state not to have elected a Republican senator since Reconstruction. John Gizzi is Political Editor of HUMAN EVENTS.

[Theodore R.]

Thank goodness OK has a closed Republican primary, or the potential GOP candidates might destroy each other otherwise.

[deport]

Sen Nickles leaving?

[Torie]

I don't like the look of an Istook-Carson race. Istook has never really shown electoral appeal (he has some lackluster showings in the past in heavily GOP territory), while Carson has considerable charm.. But then, the junior senator from Oklahoma doesn't either (whose name temporarily escapes me), so what do I know?

[Torie]

Unlikely, but possible.

[Maynerd]

But then, the junior senator from Oklahoma doesn't either (whose name temporarily escapes me), so what do I know?

Your speaking of the Hon. James Inhofe. I went to school with his kids. Inhofe has an IQ somewhere between an eggplant and squash.

Regardless he is a reliably conservative vote. Therefore, I hold my nose and vote for the maroon.

[Torie]

Well, because while the district is Anglo, and Southern, it is packed with traditional Dems in a state that is fairly homogenious both ethnically and ideologically, so the play of groups against one another is muted. It deserves more commentary, but I don't have time at present.

[ForOurFuture]

The net lifetime ACU rating of Nickles and Inhofe is higher than any other two Senators from the same state, meaning, based stricly on ACU ratings, Oklahoma's representation in the Senate is more conservative than any other's. And by a fairly wide margin. A pretty useless, even irrelevant factoid, depending on how much credence you give to ACU ratings, but interesting nonetheless.