Here’s a list of the useless class of United States Senators that are up for re-election in 2008. They are a sorry lot…most of them. I’d like to see almost all of them replaced. So, help me out. Who can we find to run against these losers?
Alexander, Lamar- (R – TN)
Lamar has only served one term. It seems pretty obvious that the DLC will be looking to do a repeat of Harold Ford, Jr. We absolutely have to find someone better than Ford Jr. to run against Alexander. And a brief look at the House representatives isn’t very encouraging. Maybe Progressive Caucus member Stephen Cohen? Maybe Governor Phil Bredesen? Any other ideas?
Allard, Wayne- (R – CO)
Allard is reported to be retiring. Word is that Boulder Democrat Mark Udall is a likely candidate for the Dems. What do people think of him?
Baucus, Max- (D – MT)
Bankruptcy Bill Baucus is one of the most annoying Democrats in the Senate. Anyone out there willing to challenge this guy who is loaded up with cash as the Chairman of Finance committee?
Biden, Joseph R., Jr.- (D – DE)
What can we say about Joe Bankruptcy Biden? He’s making his run for the Presidency, even though it is an epic waste of all his friend’s time. Anyone in Delaware want to make a statement?
Chambliss, Saxby- (R – GA)
If Max Cleland wants revenge, I’m all about helping him get some. Anyone else?
Cochran, Thad- (R – MS)
There are a lot of rumors that Cochran will retire. If he does retire it sounds likely that former state Attorney General Mike Moore will get in for the Dems. Any other people out there?
Coleman, Norm- (R – MN)
What a tool this guy is. Al Franken is going to give this race a go. I suppose the Senate could use a comedian. But Minnesota can surely do better than this. Right? Maybe Attorney Mike Ciresi? Who’s out there?
Collins, Susan M.- (R – ME)
Well, at least her state makes her vulnerable. DLC champion Rep. Tom Allen is looking to run against her. How about a progressive? Anyone?
Cornyn, John- (R – TX)
Cornyn’s polling is terrible. I’d like to know who we can run against this guy. Texas is turning bluer by the day. Any rumors?
Craig, Larry E.- (R – ID)
Larry Craig is rumored to be retiring, perhaps in part due to allegations about his sexual preferences. Larry Grant might be able to give this race a go in an open seat. How’s he stack up? Other options?
Dole, Elizabeth- (R – NC)
Liddy did such an awful job as head of the NRSC (getting completely shutout) and is such an ineffectual Senator that there are rumors she might retire. I kind of doubt it. Maybe Brad Miller could run against her. This race needs a well-funded opponent. Governor Mike Easley? What’s he like?
Domenici, Pete V.- (R – NM)
Domenici has taken to showing to work in his pajamas. He might be suffering for some early onset dementia of some kind. This could very well become an open seat. Who do we have to run for this seat? Maybe Progressive Caucus member Tom Udall?
Durbin, Richard- (D – IL)
Durbin can stay.
Enzi, Michael B.- (R – WY)
Gary Trauner almost won the at-large house seat. Let’s run him state-wide again.
Graham, Lindsey- (R – SC)
Maybe this lunatic will run for Vice-President and lose. It’s the only way we’ll ever get rid of him.
Hagel, Chuck- (R – NE)
Hagel might retire. This is a challenging state for Democrats. Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey? Any other prospects?
Harkin, Tom- (D – IA)
Harkin might retire. I hope not, because he is one of the best Democrats in the Senate. If he does retire I’d like someone other than former DLC chairman Tom Vilsack to run for his seat.
Inhofe, James M.- (R – OK)
I hate his guy so much I’d be willing to put up with another Senator Boren. But is there another way?
Johnson, Tim- (D – SD)
Tim Johnson’s health is a major concern. I’m not a big fan of DLC all-star Stephanie Herseth, but she might be our best shot if Johnson retires. Anyone else? A Daschle comeback?
Landrieu, Mary L.- (D – LA)
Mary Bankruptcy Bill Landrieu has gotten on about my last nerve. But there are things about her that I like. And I’m not seeing any realistic challengers. This is already a very endangered seat. What do you think?
Lautenberg, Frank R.- (D – NJ)
Lautenberg is in his mid-80’s and deeply unpopular. But he appears to be running again. I like Rush Holt, despite his New Democrat affiliation.
Levin, Carl- (D – MI)
Levin can stay.
McConnell, Mitch- (R – KY)
This is next round’s Ricky Santorum, but with more money than Bill Gates. It would be nice if anyone could beat him. Can we get Rick Pitino to run against him?
Pryor, Mark L.- (D – AR)
Mark Bankruptcy Bill Pryor is a decent guy. I’m happy to leave him alone. But it’d be nice to see him sweat a little.
Reed, Jack- (D – RI)
I like this guy.
Roberts, Pat- (R – KS)
There are rumors that this dinosaur might retire. But it looks like he will run again for some inexplicable reason. I’d love to see him ridden out of office on a rail. I don’t care who beats him. Can Governor Kathleen Sebelius run against him? When’s her term up?
Rockefeller, John D., IV- (D – WV)
Chuckie Schumer says that Jay will run again. I’m inclined to leave him alone.
Sessions, Jeff- (R – AL)
This guy could be the dumbest man to ever serve in Congress. DLC champion Artur Davis wants a piece of him. It might make it possible to put a real progressive pol in Davis’ seat. Any hope here?
Smith, Gordon H.- (R – OR)
Gordon Smith is tired of the war in Iraq. He’s also very vulnerable. Could DeFazio beat him? Anyone but DLC champion Rep. Earl Blumenauer.
Stevens, Ted- (R – AK)
Stevens is ancient. I hear Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich might be a comer.
Sununu, John E.- (R – NH)
Sununu should lose this seat. Here are people I hear are considering a challenge: Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand, Activist Katrina Swett, Businessman Gary Hirshberg, and Professor & former astronaut Jay Buckley. I know nothing about any of them.
Warner, John- (R – VA)
Warner could still retire. Fmr. Gov. Mark Warner is considering running for this seat regardless of what John does. There is probably no point in getting in his way. He can win the seat and he’s a decent guy for this state. But I’m still all ears.
I want more progressives and less Republicans. We need to do something to win our party and our country back.
Great idea. The content is wide but shallow, but that’s okay for a midnight piffle. Better than I could do.
Query: have you ever reconsidered the label “progressive”? For what it’s worth, that’s always seemed to me to be an immature expression.
I’m a fervent Democrat, but I disagree with some other Democrats about what is the direction of progress. Frankly, I assume that anybody who calls himself “progressive” is (1) militantly pro-abortion and (2) holier than thou.
Let’s have better labels. I prefer “Democratic.”
Progressive means that you believe in improving people’s lives by providing more opportunity, better education and job opportunity, better access to health care, a better and safer environment, and a more peaceful world.
All it means is that you have a belief in the potential for human progress, and that the world isn’t some hopelessly zero-sum game on a wheel of fortune.
I don’t know what militantly pro–abortion means and I’ve never met anyone that fit that description. I know people that are militantly protective or their right to be left the fuck alone.
Apologies for my churlish comment. I agree with your definition here of a progressive. However, in reality, the term is not really used like that. In reality, it is used to mean something like “just about as left as one can be.” The term, to my ear, often has a purist, elitist, holier-than-thou tone. I just saw something yesterday where a Democratic congressperson made a distinction between “progressives, left-liberals, liberals, and blue dogs,” or something much like that. Such distinctions made it unnecessarily difficult for people like me who are on agreement on various issues with all four groups. But rock on.
Despite your impressions on the term “progressive,” it’s primarily a new term (albeit having older usages), and therefore amenable to our own attempts to define it. We’re not stuck with the baggage that terms such as Liberal have gained through the right’s efforts to create a negative label.
On the framing front — “progressive” does have a natural advantage, i.e., as versus “regressive,” and piggybacks on American’s beliefs in progress. Using the “progressive” label casts the right — quite appropriately — as stuck in the past.
I won’t belabor the point, since there is so, so much more I could say, but it strikes me that by accepting the negative connotation you’ve bought into the right’s propaganda campaign. Rather than accept the negative stereotype, try giving the nascent label the meaning you want it to have. Don’t accept the negative frame; reframe, reframe, reframe!
Well, fair enough. Good comment.
Phil Bredesen would have a good chance at winning in TN.
In MS there are a number of potential candidates if Cochran retires (which appears much less likely now since he has started fundraising). In addition to Mike Moore other possibilities would be former Govs. Ray Mabus and Ronnie Musgrove, Cong. Gene Taylor, former Cong. and Sec. of Agriculture Mike Espy, former Cong. Ronnie Shows, and some others.
Except Bredesen is far shittier than Harold Ford! He kicked 430,000 poor tennesseans including mentally ill people off of tenncare, just so he could cut taxes on the rich!
Barbara Ann Radnofsky will be running in Texas. She ran this past time against KBH but did not win. I have met Barbara personally and think she would be fantastic!!!! It will take a lot of money to beat an incumbent in Texas even as bad as Cornyn. Here is the link to the 2006 campaign site. http://www.radnofsky.com
She can win we just need to get her some better help than her campaign staff and I know they are all still with her and gearing up for the next race.
I heard Barbara speak at Demfest. She didn’t seem too strong on women’s reproductive rights. Is she still waffling on that issue?
I found her to be progressive candidate who believed in a woman’s right to chose and equal rights for all people. She isn’t as liberal as I would like but very few candidates are and if they were especially in Texas, they would never get elected to any office. LOL I know I would and will support her in the upcoming election unless someone comes out of the wood work who is a more viable candidate. I met and talked with Barbara on several different occasions during the ’06 campaign season.
Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad to hear what you said.
no problem. I think a lot of the candidates in Texas who consider themselves center or conservative Democrats are a lot more liberal than they realize. They are conservative when it comes to spending but when you ask them about issues most come out on the right side of the issues are at least the ones I have supported. I’m lucky that I get to meet so many of the candidates because of my work with Travis and Williamson County Democrats and also my work with Stonewall Democrats.
I like Barbara Ann a LOT. I have been encouraging her to run against old Silver-Hair John..I think she could win, like you say, if we get behind her.
Umm, not to be the wet blanket, but…..we will lose the Senate if Senator Clinton is nominated.
Chairman Dean’s 50 state outreach will be blunted by the Carville/Begala types in the Senator’s campaign and DLCers intent on focusing money on Republican Lite candidates. To Wit, think Rahm Emmanuel’s half-baked DCCC antics this last cycle on crank.
The netroots and blogosphere hold no particular charm for Senator Clinton, and will be played off against one another, blogger vs blogger, if Carville and his buds in the commercial media have their way. Thus bloggers both progressive and left need to stick together here! Beware the lure of DLC monies in return for pushing their viewpoint!!! Don’t say they won’t try!
Come back to earth folks. Senator Clinton is no more popular with the commercial media scum than she was on January 19th, 2001. DON’T FORGET THAT, FOR GOD’S SAKE! She’s being pumped and set up for a hell of a fall, and she will take the Senate, and Chairman Dean and his successful 50 state project with her at the same time. I think this is the Republican/commercial media plan.
Wanna’ Win? Find an “Un-Hillary” right quick like, who can speak, is easy on the eyes, and experienced. Let him/her have some real progressive creds and a subdued way of speaking that gets a strong message out without shouting. Strong, forceful, steady.
You either find the “Un-Hillary” or you lose. It is that simple. If Hillary is the candidate, we will lose badly.
Al Gore. Polling third or fourth and isn’t even officially in the race. If he ever says “I’m in” it’s a whole new ballgame.
I agree, but Al is either not running or holding out for something, which I have no idea what that might be.
I think Richardson from New Mexico personally, experienced, old but not too worn looking, good spaker.
I was looking at Obama, but his apology for telling the truth about the Iraq fiasco really pissed me off, he didn’t need to do that, and he comprimised himself very badly.
Old? He’s in his fifties. I’m just sayin.
In my opinion, comments like this, widely spread, will make the blogosphere irrelevant far more quickly and surely than nominating Hillary.
Like it or not (I don’t much like it, myself) Hillary is, among Democrats, the MOST popular of the people currently running. Like it or not, her voting record in the Senate is almost identical to Barack Obama’s.
Clinton is not my first choice; she is not my second choice; in fact, she is not my third choice. But this endless Hillary bashing is counter-productive, both to the Democratic party and to the power of the blogosphere
Let’s get one thing straight here. I am not bashing my Senator or the woman I worked for in her re-election bid for the Senate.
I like Mrs. Clinton, and Senator Clinton too. but, like most politicals she has an ego that is pretty big, and she is as subject to the “Pamela Harriman” puff-up treatment as anyone else is. And, I think this is what’s happening here in terms of her supposed “popularity” on the national stage.
Remember the media doesn’t like her, and the stories of late look like they have the same old bias to me. And, in the eyes of the Kurtz’s and the NYT editors, Hillary is no better than she was on January 19th, 2001.
As for blog irrelevancy, considering the outbursts from
Carville, and the role of the blogs in driving out the Senator’s campaign director Terry MacAuliffe from the DNC chairmanship and the role of the blogs in pushing Chairman Dean’s 50 state project which is an anathema to the DLCers I do not expect any sort of room in the campaign for honest blogging from the progressive side. There will be no Jane Hamshers or Marcy Wheelers reporting independently about the Senator’s campaign. No Kos, and No Atrios, and no Ezra. Oh, we might have some self-loathing Marty Peretz brought in to blog, but by and large it will be hacks and flacks. There is no love lost among the Clinton Campaign people and the netroots. So this banner lede of yours is a bit bogus I am afraid.
She may be popular…but is this popularity real beyond the print on the page, or the words from a talking head on TeeVee? I am skeptical. I think she is being pushed and puffed, and neither she nor her campaign people seem to see it. We live in a time where lies weigh heavier than truth. I have become cynical enough to believe that the Commercial media and the Republicans are in bed with one another.
Either we come up with an “Un-Hillary” or we will lose the public interest and trust. It is that simple.
The commercial media is not blindly pro-GOP. They are pro-corporate, and since they are run by large diversified corporations, this should not be confusing to anyone. The DLC is specifically designed to be at near parity with the GOP in its ability to attract corporate donations.
I am not one of those people that thinks corporations are the root of all evil, but what they are using the press to do is to try to determine the nominees from both parties, and to make sure neither party does anything rash that upsets their bottom line too much. They’ve utterly corrupted the Republican Party, as can be seen by their extreme deregulatatory poistions, their anti-tax dogma, and their incredibly spending and corporate welfare.
But they also have made sure that most likely Democrats come from the same field of the DLC. Look at the New Democrats that are running, or thought of running: Clinton, Mark Warner, Vilsack, Bayh, Biden, Richardson, Gore…
It’s not like all of these people are evil or something. They are not. They are mostly decent and honorable public servants. But they are being fed to us as our only alternatives. They are the ones the press tells us are serious canidates and they are the ones that can raise the gobs of cash they need for the Presidential race.
We’ve got to start working on changing this somehow, because it has a huge amount to do with why we are in Iraq, and why we are not getting out.
The press pretty much likes Hillary, I think. It’s just that a huge segment of the press is selling anti-Hillaryism as a commodity. It has a big passionate market. Fox would be nowhere without it. But at the end of the day, Murdoch has already made peace with Hillary. He knows she is a better fit than someone more likely to rock his boat, like a Kucinich or a Gravel. And Obama refusing to go on Fox shows you both how this gain is played. At least he gets it. Fox wants Hillary for two reasons. It’s good for ratings and she won’t rock the boat.
Finally, if Hillary wins she will almost definitely destroy the netroots, or force us into irrelevancy. Nothing indicates that she will let Dean stay on, or respect his strategy. There is simply no way for the netroots and the whole Dean-inspired part of the party to become integrated into a Hillary presidency. We’re almost all insurgents, who are deepy dissatisfied with the Democratic Party as is stood in 2002, and as it stands now.
as you put it so well in a previous post. It may be time to forget about the presidential race, let them do what they will, and start focusing on winning school board and city council races.
A green was recently appointed to our suburban city’s planning commission. She made an ill-advised jump into a state senate race in 2006, got her butt kicked (including by the dem candidate who stopped campaigning/withdrew after labor day) but drew a lot of notice.
She’s now part of city government.
We need more dems across the country doing that.
That’s well put, and I agree that not all of the media is anti-Hillary, nor are they all in bed with the GOP.
However, you point out the anti-Hillary-ism that is the stock in trade for the slanderers like the Scaife rags, Coulter and others. If this is carrot and stick play by big business to keep her in line during the campaign, I understand. I don’t like it but I understand.
I think you are dead on about the netroots and I think we should prepare for a post-Dean party if she is the nominee. Further, if she abondons the netroots program she will badly hurt the party.
Glad you aren’t Hillary bashing, although it sounds like it to me.
But you state things and say “simple as that” that aren’t simple at sll
If Max Cleland wants revenge, I’m all about helping him get some. Anyone else?
I want revenge whether Cleland does or not. Max Cleland is a decent honorable man, a war hero who doesn’t have to apologize for anything he has said or done. What Chambliss did to defeat him was despicable and vile. I want to see him ruined politically and run out of town on a rail. Max Cleland is too nice a guy to seek revenge. I’m not.
…and then some! I swear to you, I was going to write the same thing you did, almost verbatim. Chambliss is the scum of the earth and I’ll only be too happy to see that vile and disgusting tool defeated.
Max Cleland is too nice a guy to seek revenge. I’m not.
Yup.
Your rundown is appreciated.
Booman, it looks as though you have not read or heard a lot about Al Franken. He has always been political first; comedy has strictly been the means to the ends.
Franken will be a senator we can be proud of.
Al Franken’s senate run was discussed yesterday when Joe Conason was on C-Span introducing his new book, It Can Happen Here. Both Joe and Robb had to ignore a lot of “incoming” on the Republican line, but that didn’t stop Joe from expressing his approval of Al’s decision to run.
Mark Udall has a strong family name but comes from Boulder, which is the most progressive place in Colorado. I expect to see ads around the state that run mostly against the “Hippiness” of Boulder, since we have such strong assholes in the rural areas. I live in Musgrave’s district and I’ve tried twice to get her out, but have only come close.
To give an example as to what “Progressive” means out here, our neighbors, huge Bush fans, recently sold a store up in Estes Park. The woman told me she was pleased with the people who bought it, because they were going to turn it into a “Christian Center”. Not know ing what that was, I said – Oh! A food bank and homeless shelter! Alas, “Christian Center” means someplace where they purchase right wing books and materials designed to support the patriarchy and president. So progressive means helping people progress- we want everyone to fulfill their potential, not merely fulfil their pregnancy.
The “only in Boulder” crowd is going sell their bill of goods regardless, but I think Udall is the one person who is going to make that pitch look like old style politics.
Mark is a tremendously earnest and honest individual (shades of Wellstone), who is going to appeal to a wide cross section of Colorado voters. As a non-politician politician, he’s going to be tough to pigeonhole.
Rather than being someone who has compromised his integrity for politics, Mark has the advantage of being appealing to the left — who have good reason to be enthused about him, as well as appealing to cross over voters based on his obviously principled stances on issues. It’s a win/win scenario.
On the shallower front; Mark is an extremely fit, in shape individual (shades of Obama) who has an impressive physical presence. This doesn’t hurt.
I honestly can’t find any negatives on Udall (although coming from Boulder — actually he’s from Eldorado Springs — is still hard in places like Colorado Springs, but that’s always true for Dems). If you’re not familiar with him, you may want to learn more. He’s the real deal!
I know- He’s awesome. After years of attacks from Colorepubs I just put up my shields first.
Did you hear him on KGNU the other morning?
Sorry, I was away. No, I missed that.
Mark is an impressive candidate. I think the paradox we often succumb to is the belief that a Dem must move to the middle in order to appeal to a cross section of the electorate. I don’t think this is necessarily the case, and candidates such as Sherrod Brown showed this in 2006.
Candidates who show character have potential even when they’re outside the middle of the political spectrum. Partly, this is because the “political spectrum” is a highly simplified notion (based on where you sat in Parliament). Candidates can frame themselves so as to appeal to wider audience, particularly with issues such as economic populism (see Sherrod Brown), and defeat attempts to stereotype them in the language of Left/Right.
I think Tom Udall could win in NM. He carried his district (the most liberal in the state.) with something like 79%. It would be harder for him in the southern part of the state. He would be a vast imporovement over Domenici.
I’m curious as to why you seem opposed to Allen (D ME) and his run at Collin (R ME). Allen gets a solid 87 rating at progressivepunch; OK, he’s not a super liberal, but he’s popular, he might win, and he seems to be on the right side of most issues.
And Maine isn’t Massachusetts…..
I basically agree.
Maine is politically very… strange, at least from my californian point of view. All over the map, depending on where you are in the state and what issue you’re talking about.
Allen has probably the best shot against Collins we’re going to get — she’s not nearly as popular as Snowe, but she’s still not going to be easy to boot. And it’s really not like he’s a DLC stooge, though he’s more centrist than I am (as are most people).
Maine progressives — and there are quite a few, and growing — need to really start building the bench IMO, recruiting and running some true progressives at the local/state levels and in the house. The senate is going to take a while to get real progressives from Maine, while the house looks a bit easier because of the way the two districts are drawn.
For now, Allen is a good, solid democrat, and I’d be thrilled to see Collins go down.
Although I rarely comment anymore (little time) and I like you Booman, this time a tad wide of the mark. Tom Allen is not good enough to run against Collins? Udall not good enough in Colorado? and tepid support for others? Fine, lose em all, go down in flames. Look, it is a Huge effort to mount a statewide campaign and a major sacrifice for many. Tom Allen is hardly some right wing Dem, that’s just absurd and he’s giving up a safe Congressional seat and taking on ‘the media loves me’ Collins who is a genuine tool and phony beyond belief. As the first commentor said..nice try but shallow diary.
Allen is a good candidate. What I am getting tired of is this consistent pattern that whenever a Senate seat opens up, it’s a New Democrat that races to fill the seat. I was very happy to see Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders take their places in the Senate. I want to see more of that. I mean, Tom Carper is a good guy, too. But he’s part of the problem when it comes to fixing what’s really wrong with our country.
elected Jesse Ventura, Hubert Humphrey, and Walter Mondale. What’s wrong with Al Franken? Making your living in the entertainment business doesn’t seem to be that much of a negative. Certainly Minnesota does as well as California.
Al Franken is okay.
There are probably people up there, though, that have earned the right to make a run and that don’t live and work in NYC most of the time.
I tend to think of the Senate as a place that is suited for statesmen and women. In recent years it seems to have been overrun by people that behave no different than Representatives. I guess it is partly a product of increasing partisanship and polarization and regionalism.
If Franken can bring a little levity, it would probably be a good thing.
I’d like to see Brad Miller defeat Dole. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the eastern NC redneck rural county in which I live almost always votes for Democrats for Congress. The keys to this mystery are three-fold: farm subsidies, strong unions and heavy dependence on Social Security among the aged and poor.
So Miller needs to get union endorsement by promising to support worker’s rights.
He needs to offer assistance to small farmers to help them switch to greener crops and production methods. He needs to promise to get the funding to put the three planned biodiesel plants off the drawing board and into construction so they can see dollar signs in their corn fields.
And, he must insist on universal health care with cheap presciptions.
He can be anti-Iraq War but has to emphasize the need for a strong military; this area is economically dependent on their military bases. He has to honor the warriors while hating the war and that’s tricky.
If he can pull off all of that, he’ll win easily.
have you heard any rumors about who might be running?
Right now the heavyweights are Ciresi and Franken.
A state legislator by the name of Joe Atkins is also in the race.
The short list includes:
RT Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis
Mike Hatch, failed guberantorial candidate
Other possibilities:
Judi Dutcher, one of the many candidates whose career has been torpedoed by Mike Hatch
Matt Entenza, former AG.
what’s Ciresi like?
I met him the first time a few weeks ago at a state central committee meeting. I’ve only been up here about 7 years, so I missed Ciresi’s first run and all the hoopla about his money vs. Dayton’s money.
Ciresi and his wife struck me as genuinely deep-down nice people. Chatted with him for a while about suburban politics.
He’s very liberal and made his gazzillions as the lead MN attorney on the tobbacco lawsuits.
From what I’ve read and heard he seems to be very much in the populist mode.
list. I am not a dem way or the hiway kind of soul. I would dear LOVE to see some repubs with integrity, if it didn’t seem so much of an oxymoron these days. But we also need desperately dems with integrity if dems take over the reins of government.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius just won her second 4 year term in 2006, and I think she will finish up what she has planned to do as gov’ner before she moves on to the national stage. But things are quietly, steadily changing in Kansas; sometimes we even fantasize about having two Democratic Senators two years from now- hoping that Sam Brownback is delusional enough to resign his seat to run for President and is replaced by any Democrat Sebelius wants, and then Lt Gov. Mark Parkinson defeats Pat Roberts in 2008. Parkinson was once the head of the Kansas Republicans. Moderate Republicans have finnally had enough of the right-wingnuts that have hijacked their party in the primarys for the last twenty years, and when enough of the moderates vote with the 40% of this state that still votes Democratic (even when there is no Democrat campaigning against the Republican), it’s no longer “what’s the matter with Kansas?” anymore.
is this Parkinson guy definitely running against Roberts?
Just a strong rumor at present. But Sebelius is a very good team builder and money raiser: I’m sure she has a good plan. Democrats tend to be very quiet out here though, the other side’s pit bulls have been attacking for so long we don’t give them any targets until it’s necessary.
maybe I should move back to Kansas, its only two miles away and if Booman promises to scrub all my comments here.
re: biden
Anyone in Delaware want to make a statement?
i grew up in delaware, but i don’t live there anymore. but i do know that that senate seat is biden’s as long as he wants it. biden may not stand a chance at becoming president, but he is quite popular in his home state. the bankruptcy bill, let’s face it the #1 reason people here hate him, is actually a plus, not a minus among the delaware voters.
delaware might be the only state in the union where there are more people who identify with creditors than debtors. much of the state’s economy is dependent on the credit card industry, the people working for various financial institutions probably outnumbers the total number of individual bankruptcy filers in the state. voting pro-banking industry is oddly populist when it comes to delaware, just as being pro-tobacco is populist if you’re from kentucky.
baucus may have sold out to his campaign contributors to vote for the bankruptcy bill. no doubt biden got some nice contributions too. but even without the credit industry’s support, biden would have had constituency pressures to support the bankruptcy reform act.
and for that reason any biden replacement is likely to be much the same when it comes to corporate-consumer issues. the only way that will change is if delaware ever stops being the pro-corporate tax-shelter state for the union.