Posted on 11/06/2008 7:54:41 AM PST by TitansAFC
It looks as if the count will be 56-44 Democrats in the U.S. Senate in January, with Smith losing in OR and Lieberman now having to caucus with the GOP. Here is the pathway to chipping away at the seven seat we need to retake the Senate in 2010.
We need to recruit these names, recruit early, and recruit HARD:
1.) Colorado (Ken Salazar - D): Republican Former Governor Bill Owens, who didn't run in 2008 for the Senate, may run this time around, as might retired football quarterback, Republican John Elway, who hinted at a future run for office despite choosing not to run in 2008. The moment he wins the GOP nod, you can already start calling him "Senator Elway."
2.) California (Barbara Boxer - D): Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger should seek the seat, as he would be ineligible to run again in the Gubernatorial race due to term limits. He is the only hope of beating Boxer, and very well might.
3.) Arkansas (Blanche Lincoln - D): Former Governor Mike Huckabee, who was a 2008 presidential candidate, should be recruited very, very hard, since he remains a relatively well-liked figure.
4.) Illinois (Obama's old seat - TBD - D): The only man in Illinois who could win this seat has to talk his wife into letting him. Illinois demi-god Mike Ditka, a hardcore, Conservative Republican, would win this seat. We just have to convince Mike and Mrs. Ditka to run.
5.) Indiana (Evan Bayh - D): If Bayh retires, Mike Pence could win this seat. If Bayh does not retire, he is unbeatable in Indiana.
6.) Hawaii (Daniel Inouye - D): May retire - will win re-election if he does not. In the event of a retirement, the GOP should push monstrously hard for popular Governor Linda Lingle to run for Senate.
7.) Nevada (Harry Reid - D): The Senate Majority Leader will seek a fifth term. In 2004, he was reelected with 61% of the vote. That year, Republicans did not put up a formidable challenger. Potential Republican candidates include former Governor Kenny Guinn, Representative Dean Heller, former Representative Jon Porter or 2004 candidate Richard Ziser. Guinn might be the strongest challenger to Reid but will be 74 in 2010, three years Reid's senior. Porter had been viewed as the most likely to run as he had been interested since 2004 and been planning a run, but following his defeat for re-election to his House seat in 2008, he may no longer run.
8.) North Dakota (Byron Dorgan - D): Three term Senator Byron Dorgan may retire. He will be 68 years old in 2010. Dorgan, who represents the conservative state of North Dakota, may be vulnerable if he runs for reelection. Potential Republican candidates are Governor John Hoeven, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, and his brother, State Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem. All have very high approval ratings, including Dorgan. John Hoeven would win easily, and should be pushed HARD to run.
And how to win the Presidency in 2012:
Whoever wins the nod needs to nominate Florida Senator Mel Martinez for V.P. Popular, Latino, Swing State. You heard it here first.
I'd be surprised. He didn't really help anyone in typical RINO fashion. Poizner's win was only because his opponent was the highly unpopular Cruz Bustamante looking to swap offices after his 2 terms as Lt Governor.
"I'm calling Moore the rat's version of Anne Northup. We need to beat him to take back the house."
JoCo RINOs are quite happy with Moore. Remember you have to battle both the RINOs AND the rodents there.
"Good move for him to appoint himself. Latest rat who wants his current job, Daley's brother."
We'll never get rid of a Daley.
"(On Ben Chandler) If the climate is favorable I think he'd lose. If it's not....we could suffer another net loss."
Bunning is talking about raising $10 million (talking... getting is another). He's got to go. Excellent voting record, but too old (79 in '10) and erratic.
"Mouse Boren should be targeted to switch."
There's nothing in it for a Democrat to switch to the GOP after January with such a wide margin. I'd be more concerned about RINOs thinking of switching as it would potentially benefit them and the pork for their districts.
"The regular rats in PA won't give him the nomination like they did in Minnesota. And no one likes Tweety as the DUmmies call him."
Depends upon who ultimately ends up running. Surprises do happen in primaries. I'm rather amazed Specter hasn't died in office -- of course, he still has two more years and things are going to get REAL ugly in the 111th.
"Indeedy. Doesn't look like he'll die now."
I never saw Tim Johnson out on the campaign trail this year, so I have no idea how he's doing (and we can't count on the media to tell us -- of course, if SD had a Democrat Governor with Steppie ready to step in, there would've been overwhelming pressure by the media to get him to step down). The media will prop up any moribund rodent.
"Well that explains his easy reelection. Pr*ck!"
Gotta love those RINOs serving their rodent masters.
Maybe better Osborne didn’t. He would’ve been a Hagelite RINO squish. You remember his running mate got so mad they weren’t nominated she switched parties immediately and got the Dems to put her on the ballot for reelection to her statewide office — thankfully she lost handily.
I hadn’t heard that about Brownback. I didn’t know Moran had made up his mind (I thought if he didn’t run for Governor he was going to wait until 2014 for Pat Roberts’s seat, presumably when he’ll be retiring).
Oh, I found something on the pending Brownback retirement. Moran has already filed papers.
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/15584
I see Tiahrt is potentially interested. That is NOT the kind of internecine battle we need between him and Moran (and Tiahrt’s Wichita seat is winnable for the rodents, too, since that was Dan Glickman’s seat for 18 years). Of course, Tiahrt has been waiting for something to open up longer than Moran. Might be better for him to hold off until Roberts retires in 2014.
I think that Tiahrt would back down in the face of such a rivalry. And Jerry Moran would defeat even Kathleen Selebius.
A lot of elderly Senators are up for reelection that year.
I found more information, although I must be out of my skull for researching the 2010 elections before 2009 has begun. But some news has already broken out.
In Florida, Congressman Ron Klein appears likely to run against Mel Martinez. Incidentally, you had expersesed a high opinion of Allen West, who ran against Klein this year. West polled 45%, better than expected.
In Kentucky, Jim Bunning continues to worry his party by insisting on seeking reelection. The betting now is that Ben Chandler wants to remain in the House. A rematch with 2004 opponent Dan Mongiardo is being whispered about.
In Louisiana, David Vitter continues to cause his party headaches, for reasons that are well-known to political junkies. Secretary of State Jay Dardenne may challenge Vitter in the primary if Vitter doesn’t step down voluntarily. Democrats are sitting on the sidelines now, but that won’t last.
Harry Reid is still heartened by the 2008 outcome in Nevada, but he remains controversial there. Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolocki is a possibility.
In New Hampshire, Judd Gregg is being eyed by the ‘Rats, but they privately regard him as stronger politically than John Sununu was. The names being bandied about is Congressman Paul Hodes, who is credible.
North Dakota poses two quesitons. First, will Byron Dorgan seek another term, when he’ll be 68? He considered retiring in 2004, it’s said. Second, will Governor John Hoeven run? Until those two questions are answered, nothing else matters.
In Ohio, George Voinovich is beatable. Also, he considered retiring in 2004 and was talked out of it by Karl Rove. A lot of names are being mentioned as possible foes, but it’s way too early.
Chris Matthews for Senate? It sounds absurd, but so did Al Franken for Seante. Arlen Specter insists on seeking another term at the age of 80.
As Walter Cronkite used to say, “And that’s the news.”
As far as Spector, what choice do we have - who else is going to hold that seat? Toomey could run again but I’m not sure he would hold the seat.
If Chris Matthews is going to run he needs to resign from MSNBC.
“As far as Spector, what choice do we have - who else is going to hold that seat?”
Specter is running, so that’s a mute point for the time being. If he drops out, perhaps AG Tom Corbett.
Any top tier candidate “could” hold it, but we’re talking about a toss-up race.
Unless that clown Matthews is the rat, he’d lose.
I really can’t see him getting the nomination.
The 2010 Senate prospects don’t look promising. If the False Messiah doesn’t get his filibuster proof Senate this year, he’ll have it in 2011. Our only hope is for the Dems to vote for more bailouts which will harm the fragile economy more. Then hope for a backlash.
“In Ohio, George Voinovich is beatable. Also, he considered retiring in 2004 and was talked out of it by Karl Rove.”
Oh I didn’t know that, thanks Karl.
“In Florida, Congressman Ron Klein appears likely to run against Mel Martinez. Incidentally, you had expersesed a high opinion of Allen West, who ran against Klein this year. West polled 45%, better than expected.”
Quite. I expected 60-40 Klein. With $$ West could win the open seat.
Oh no, I hate regional BS. 2 conservatives from anywhere please.
“Oh no, I hate regional BS.”
Regional is very important. Everyone has local biases to one degree or another. In fact, the main reason that Andy Harris lost in Maryland was because he was from suburban Baltimore, and the Eastern Shore voters wanted one of their own (and their candidate campaigned as a conservative Democrat).
Yeah I know many voters care about this. I don’t. Of course my “region” is devoid of Republicans. But if it makes Tihart more electable to be from a different part of the state then that’s a point in his favor.
I didn’t know Harris was from the Baltimore area. Perhaps he should not be nominated again if that was a factor. Not really fair for the Baltimore burbs though, they were stuck in that seat and have every right to have the congressman be from their area. MD-01 should be in the top 5 of target seats. Roy Dyson beat a Larry Craig Republican in 1980 and held the seat for 10 years. Can’t let that happen again.
Very true. We need for the nominee to be a strong conservative from the Eastern Shore.
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