What's Up in the GOP's "Safe" States?
Hope you're off to a delightful weekend:
North Carolina: Elizabeth Dole tells the Associated Press and the News Observer that she is running for re-election. The News Observer notes:
Texas: John Cornyn displays the kind of blind loyalty to George W. Bush that could hurt him if he represented somewhere other than Texas. The piece ends, though, with:
Alabama: Courtesy of Talking Points Memo, Jeff Sessions is still coming up with new rationales for the Iraq War.
Dole has been the subject of rumors over the past year suggesting that, at age 70, she may not seek a second term. The rumors have been fed by a slow start in organizing her re-election effort.The News Observer doesn't elaborate on how awful she was as Chair of the NRSC (though the New Republic did) and how that could contribute to a less-than-stellar re-election bid for Dole. Nor does it mention that she's already behind Mike Easley in polling. She will have a tough re-election bid, though - and let's do all we can to make it tougher. Volunteer. Contribute. Y'know, once we have a candidate. (Mike Easley, I'm waiting!)
Dole said she does not have to be reminded that this is a difficult time for Republicans, having spent the past two years as chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee when the GOP lost control of the Senate. She called it "the worst political environment in memory."
Cornyn is a favorite at the White House, where he remains a Bush insider and close friend of Karl Rove. But his unalloyed defense of Bush's Iraq policies have some back home wondering whether he has gone too far.An opening for a challenge? It would be nice to hear more rumblings from TX-Dems.
"He's pretty much married himself to the president and to Karl" Rove, Bush's top political adviser, said Harvey Kronberg, editor of the Quorum Report political newsletter. "I'm just speculating, but we like to see a modest amount of independence here in Texas."
posted by Senate2008Guru | 11:22 AM
1 Comments:
From a republican point of view, I hope Liddy Dole bows out, because she is too old and too tired. Her campaign not moving forward well, and North Carolina is ripe ground for a strong showing by a '08 democratic candidate who could provide some downballot bolstering. Although if Hillary's the next DemocratICK nominees, then North Carolina should stay red easily.
In Texas, John Cornyn is, in fact, pretty weak. His approvals have never been great, and even as a conservative in Bush country, folks down here always know a mouthpiece when we see it. We love Sen. Hutchison because she's not pretentious, is conservative, and still thinks on her feet. I know a few democrats who think she's good.
I would bet that Nick Lampson and Chet Edwards could put up the biggest fights against Cornyn. Maybe Bill White--the mayor in Houston. Lloyd Dogget is just another Austin liberal.
The thing about Lampson is that he's already beat two Republican incumbents. Since one of them was Tom DeLay, lots of people know about Lampson throughout the state. He's my biggest worry.
Post a Comment
<< Home