Posted on 11/05/2008 6:59:15 AM PST by watsonfellow
We tried to get Rossi to run against Cantwell. He said he didnt want to go to Washington.
Good cogent analysis.
We need to get our objectives focused...and that’s a pretty darn good look through the telescope. Here in the people’s republic of upstate NY, Mr. King isn’t known as well as he should be. I’d like to see (and maybe it’s a Shays-like choice) Mayor Giuliani run against Chucky Schumer. Giuliani has enough of a reputation and coattail that we might do something about the Executive Mansion and the Legislature (we need Republican legislatures, too), and I think he’d relish fighting that sniveling twit of a senior senator from NY—maybe Rudy’s 80% of what we need—but maybe that 80% is enough?
Just my .05 (inflation and Obama tax policy effect on .02)...
After the butt kicking we took last night, you'll have to forgive me.
Your whole post bears repeating. I don't miss the RINOs that lost in 06 and 08.
If we want to win, we need to expand our recruiting efforts past the rich white male as candidates. It’s obvious that the elections have become nationalized, and if we keep offering the same faces year after year, voters will stop looking to our party for identification. That’s a fact.
Tap returning war vets for starters, then look towards independent minority small-business owners.
Great ideas. It is time to get to work. I found that so frustrating in the last election cycle, more so now. You’ve got some great ideas and starting points. This should hopefully be a learning moment for the GOP hierarchy.
You do know that only one third of the Senate will be up for re-election in 2010. Right?
What about Ted Steven’s seat? Sarah
Well, if Stevens steps down and Sarah appoints herself, which I am uncertain she can because of the new law Alaska, will there be an special election in 2010?
The Alaska Senate Vacancy Issue is Even More Interesting Than I Thought
In this post from yesterday (which contains a correction about the earlier New Jersey case), I wrote about the rules which would apply if Senator Stevens decided to resign before his current term ends. I cited to provisions of the Alaska Elections Code that I took from the Alaska legislature’s website.
It turns out, however, that voters passed an initiative in 2004 (in response to the then-governor appointing his daughter to a vacancy) which changed the method of filling vacancies. (The full text of the current Alaska statute is after the jump.)
But it gets better. Because this statute was passed by initiative, there’s a question whether it violates the 17th Amendment, which provides in Clause 2: “When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.” The people, through the initiative process, get no role.
Calling Vik Amar.
Sec. 15.40.140. Condition and time of calling special election.
When a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator or United States representative, the governor shall, by proclamation, call a special election to be held on a date not less than 60, nor more than 90, days after the date the vacancy occurs. However, if the vacancy occurs on a date that is less than 60 days before or is on or after the date of the primary election in the general election year during which a candidate to fill the office is regularly elected, the governor may not call a special election.
Sec. 15.40.145. Temporary appointment of United States senator. [See revisor’s note]..
When a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator, the governor may, at least five days after the date of the vacancy but within 30 days after the date of the vacancy, appoint a qualified individual to fill the vacancy temporarily until the results of the special election called to fill the vacancy are certified. If a special election is not called for the reasons set out in AS 15.40.140 , the individual shall fill the vacancy temporarily until the results of the next general election are certified.
Posted by Rick Hasen at October 28, 2008 08:26 AM
It is amazing to watch the big tent being folded up in the middle of a circular firing squad. Centrists are going to be the ticket for EITHER party to make any gains. The discussion about, and for that matter, even the use of the term RINO is going to be self-defeating both intraparty, and in approaches to the general elections. What is a conservative anymore ? Is it the social conservative that focuses solely on anti-gay, anti-abortion, and creationism as pseudoscience ? Is it the deficit hawk (an issue that seems long abandoned to the Democratic Leadership Council) ? Is it the anti-tax Americans for Growth movement that managed to simply throw away 2 house seats in comfortable districts by moving the party rightward on an issue that plays too far against the grain of the vast majority of the American electorate ? If the party does not protect its centrist flank, nay even strengthen it, the conservative movement is going to be looking at a longer period of wandering the desert than Moses ! It will be a miracle to keep a further Senate loss of three seats, let alone make any gains in 2010, unless the party comes to the table to play ball in the next couple of years. Harnessing the party to the various litmus tests of its far right factions will only ensure an enduring party minority, legislatively, for a generation or more.
Brownback - term limited himself. Will probably be a race between Sebelius and Kobach.
Gregg - New Hampshire's trending bluer and bluer.
Specter - is there anyone in the GOP who likes Arlen any more? Obama carried the state with unexpected ease.
Voiniovich - depends on whether Obama's trouncing of McCain was an aberration or a trend.
Once again the GOP has more seats to protect - 19 as opposed to 15.
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