http://www.clw.org/2006/07/the_iraq_eight.htmlhttp://www.clw.org/Eight critical Senate contests will have a significant influence on the direction of American policy in Iraq and hopefully will speed up the return of American troops.
In every one of these elections, there is a clear-cut contest between an Iraq war supporter and a war opponent. Defeating these Iraq war supporters would have an enormous political impact. Members of Congress would be affected, as would all candidates for President.
American public opinion has turned decisively against the Iraq war. But the public still holds mixed views about how to disentangle our military forces from the quagmire. Many favor a timetable for American troops to withdraw from Iraq, while others oppose the war but believe that the United States has an obligation to remain in Iraq until the situation there is stabilized.
These divisions were reflected in the Senate debate on Iraq in June 2006: 39 senators – all Democrats but one – voted for an amendment to begin troop withdrawal in 2006 without setting a final deadline; 13 Democrats endorsed a mid-2007 deadline; and 44 of 45 Republicans supported President Bush’s policy of continuing the war.
Here are the crucial races:
Connecticut (Democratic primary, August 8)
Hawaii (Democratic primary, September 23)
Maryland (General election, November 7)
Montana (General election, November 7)
New Jersey (General election, November 7)
Ohio (General election, November 7)
Vermont (General election, November 7)
West Virginia (General election, November 7)
Connecticut: anti-Iraq War Ned Lamont (D) vs. pro-Iraq War Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D)
The Democratic primary on August 8 in Connecticut is a referendum on incumbent Senator Joseph Lieberman and his all-out support for the American invasion of Iraq. Lieberman is not just an unrepentant hawk; he has worked hand-in-glove with the Bush Administration to attack war critics. Following his State of the Union address, Bush ostentatiously hugged and kissed Lieberman for the cameras Lamont opposes the war and advocates setting a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq. Lieberman will run as an independent candidate in November should he lose the primary.
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Hawaii: Anti-Iraq War Sen. Daniel Akaka (D) vs. pro-Iraq War supporter Rep. Ed Case (D)
The Honolulu Advertiser has characterized this Hawaii Senate contest as follows: “U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, who opposed the war, and U.S. Rep. Ed Case, a cautious supporter, still see the conflict through different lenses.” Akaka voted against the authorization of the war in 2002 and was one of only 13 Senators who voted in June 2006 to set a date for withdrawal from Iraq. He has run television ads touting his opposition to the war. Case has supported the Bush Iraq policy and opposed any plan for withdrawal from Iraq. In June 2006, Case was one of only 42 House Democrats to vote for a GOP-sponsored resolution endorsing the President Bush’s policy. He has opposed troop withdrawal from Iraq until “national security and foreign policy goals” are achieved and also backed a commitment to “achieve victory” in Iraq.
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Maryland: anti-Iraq War Rep. Ben Cardin (D) against pro-Iraq War Michael Steele (R)
Rep. Ben Cardin cast a courageous vote with the minority opposing President Bush’s attack on Iraq in 2002. He stated: "I have grave concerns about the consequences of a unilateral, preemptive military attack by the United States.” He continues to oppose the war, most recently voting against the GOP-sponsored House resolution endorsing the war. He has called for bringing at least half of American troops home by the end of 2006 and the remainder in 2007. While Cardin has competition in the Democratic primary, he is favored to win and then to face Lt. Gov. Michael Steele in November. Steele told Fox News Radio's “The Tony Snow Show” that he supports the President's Iraq policies, saying that he believes Iraq’s proposed constitution is a sign that "democracy has spread her wings so much farther than anyone ever expected it would."
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Montana: Anti-Iraq War Jon Tester (D) vs. pro-Iraq War Sen. Conrad Burns (R)
Jon Tester, a surprise primary winner, argues for the return of our servicemen and women to their homes. “The time has come to support our troops by laying out a plan to bring them home,” Tester said. Burns’ views are the exact opposite. Burns voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq and in June opposed Senate amendments to begin withdrawal from Iraq. In a June 25 debate between the two candidates, Burns said his strategy for Iraq is “win . . . if we cut and run . . . we’ll end up like Vietnam.”
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New Jersey: anti-Iraq War Sen. Bob Menendez (D) vs. pro-Iraq War Thomas Kean Jr. (R)
Menendez was solidly opposed to the war in the House of Representatives and is solidly opposed in the Senate. He voted against the authorization to use force in Iraq in October 2002. On June 22, 2006, Menendez was one of only 13 Senators to vote to withdraw American forces from Iraq by 2007, saying: “Clearly, it is essential to set a date certain for transition so that Iraqis will take responsibility for their country.” Menendez’s first television ad during the campaign highlighted his opposition to the Iraq war. Kean told the Associated Press: "I would have voted for the troops to go to Iraq, but no question that there's been significant mistakes made in the course of this war. I don't think we can create an artificial timetable for troop withdrawal.”
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Ohio: anti-Iraq War Rep. Sherrod Brown (D) vs. pro-Iraq War Sen. Mike DeWine (R)
Ohio voters have a clear choice on the Iraq War. Sherrod Brown has been an outspoken critic of the war from its inception. He voted against granting the President authority to use force in Iraq. In early 2003, as the U.S. massed troops outside Iraq, Brown co-wrote a letter to President Bush signed by 134 Members of Congress urging that the “U.S. should make every attempt to achieve Iraq’s disarmament through diplomatic means and with the full support of our allies.” In June, Brown voted against a House resolution stating that it is not in America’s interest “to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment” of troops from Iraq. DeWine voted for the war in 2002 and against amendments this year to begin withdrawing from Iraq. He told MSNBC: “People in Ohio ‘want us clearly out of Iraq,’ he said, but ‘want us to finish the job in a way that our own security is preserved,’ so ‘people are very torn.’” But DeWine continues to support the war.
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Vermont: anti-Iraq War Rep. Bernie Sanders vs. Rich Tarrant
Congressman Bernie Sanders, running as an independent supported by the Democratic Party, has been one of the most vocal critics of the war in Iraq. He fears that the American occupation of Iraq will detract from the struggle against terrorism and add to the dangers facing the international community. He voted against authorizing U.S. military action in Iraq in 2002, opposes President Bush’s preemptive war policy, and has supported efforts in the House of Representatives to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq by the end of 2006. He is running against a serious and well-funded challenge from Rich Tarrant, the multi-millionaire founder of IDX, a health care software company, who has invested $4 million of his own money into the campaign. He has had mixed views on the war.
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West Virginia: anti-Iraq War Sen. Robert Byrd vs. pro-Iraq War John Raese (R)
Senator Robert Byrd has delivered nearly 80 speeches in opposition to the war in Iraq and the White House doctrine of preemptive war. He led the opposition to the President's 2002 Iraq war resolution and then tried to limit that expansive authority for the use of force. On June 21, 2006, he stated: "I have called time and time again for the President to begin bringing our troops home" and said it is time to “send the powerful message that the United States supports the security of Iraq but does not intend to become a permanent occupying force in Iraq." His opponent has promised to make Byrd’s opposition to the Iraq war “a defining issue” in the campaign, saying that Byrd’s opposition to the Iraq war "made America more vulnerable to terrorists . . . history has shown us the worst thing we can do is cut and run and not finish the job.”
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