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.
Forgive the shameful vanity!
Joining ranks with left-wing RINOs is what got us into this mess.
START EARLY. I say we start the presidential campaign too. Jan. 10 would be a good kickoff to start having rallys in Iowa and New Hampshire. It will keep us occupied during the Obama depression.
Another Vichy Republican who will be as successful at attracting Latino voters as Juan McCain.
The GOP needs to start pooling our resources (much like Obama camp went about it - Tom Delay has a good overview on this / article).
I would bet Schwarzenegger does not run. It is very different being governor v. being 1 of 100 senators. I suspect he will want to go back to private industry. If he does run though, it would make a very interesting race. Maybe if 0bama is unpopular, Boxer could be vulnerable. But I think even if Arnold runs, he would lose. CA is just too far gone.
Great post! No apology for a vanity needed- both positive and informative! Along with the “Who’s going to CPAC?!” post, I’m feeling better that we are getting back in the game!
Dems don’t retire.
First we purge the party of ALL RINO’s, this includes Arnold the RINO.
and any other RINO’s on your list or in the party.
And Mitt and Huckibe both have to go.
Thank you for posting this.
And, not to sound like a broken record -
but now is also the time to start recruiting for state positions like secretary of state and/or Elections Commissioner. It’s never too early to fight voter fraud.
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Mel Martinez would be a great VP choice.
And if he wasn’t born in Cuba he would be Constitutionally eligible too.
I think I’d take a pass on Schwarzenegger.
Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold is up for re-election in 2010. Congressman Paul Ryan could give him a fight.
Mel was born in Cuba or he would of been Veep this time. Also depends on what McCain does we can have a open seat. It is the Governors if she wants it.
We should recruit only conservatives - I dont give a damn anymore about the R - either they have a backbone or forget it they will lose. Conservatives didnt show up to vote for McLame and they wont show up to vote for more RINOs.
Martinez is a nice guy but a wuzz. He doesn’t hear our need to drill, votes against. He doesn’t hear our call not
to support the “bail out”, voted for it. At least Nelson who seldom gets his votes right, got the “bail out” vote right, NO.
Replace bothe of them
NM - Former Congresswoman Heather Wilson vs Sen Jeff(Fairness Doctrine) Bingaman
IT is people like you who want us to lose - are you a democrat - why in the hell would you want to start a thread about how we can replace socialists with a D with socialists with an R.
I live in Florida. Both Charlie Crist and Mel Martinez are complete fools.
NEVER on a national ticket. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER.
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