2008 Senate. Our Targets and Possible Candidates.

[thatsrightimirish]

Target #1 Allard Colorado- I have no doubt Colorado will go blue in 08. Udall is already running.

Target #2 Warner Virginia- If Allen can be beat, so can Warner, who is probably retiring anyway. MArk Warner will win

Target # 3 Dole North Carolina- Paging Mike Easly! He is termed out in 08

Target #4 Sununu New Hampshire- Republicans got destroyed here this year. Not to mention all the Republicans that went to jail for voter fraud in the 2002 race. Gov Lynch can pull it off

Target #5 Coleman Minnesota- Time to take Wellstone's seat back.

Target #6 Domenici New Mexico- He has not raised any money and he is old. You know what that means. Bill Richardson, don't run for President.

Target #7 Inhofe- His approval rating is 49. Brad Henry or Brad Carson can make a race of this. Depends on who is on the top of the ticket.

TArget #8 Smith Oregon- We have a deep bench in Oregon. And it will go blue in 08.

The Republicans will target Landrieu in Louisiana, Johnson in South Dakota, and Laughtenberg in NEw JErsey

[knight_of_the_star]

1. Good list so far

I wouldn't bet on taking Inhofe, Oklahoma is a solid Red state and will be an uphill fight. It's doable, but I won't bet on it.

Landrieu is going to need help pulling in money to NO and in making rebuilding happen or she's toast.

If the Pukes think they can play in NJ they had better think twice, if Menendez and Lautenberg's first run weren't evidence enough.

[BluegrassDem]

2. I thought Dole was elected in 2004?

[Daylin Byak]

4. No, Richard Burr was elected in '04 to replace John Edwards

Dole was elected in '02 to suceed Jesse Helms.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

3. Mitch McConnell in Kentucky

He's as corrupt as the day is long, and the Kentucky Republican Party is in the early stages of a meltdown that mirrors what happened in Ohio. He's definitely vulnerable.

[knight_of_the_star]

12. Wrong year

I think his number came up in '04 and he just squeaked by after doing some really stupid things like saying his opponent looked like Uday Hussein.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

18. 2002

Ran against Weinberg. So he's on the ballot in 2008.

[Raiden]

20. No, that was the senile Jim Bunning

I have two piss poor excuses for Senators :-(

At any rate, I doubt McConnell can be beaten in KY. He is extremely powerful in the state and nationally.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

32. Before you call Jim senile...

You might want to Google for the Data. McConnell was reelected last in 2002, Bunning in 2004.

2004 Results

Change the URL to 2002 and you'll see McConnell's results.

[yellowdogintexas]

37. you are quite right. He comes under the category of

Senator for Life, unfortunately.

Wish Marlowe Cooke had NOT retired!!!!! If you gotta have a Republican at least get a good one. I always respected Cooke.

Bunning will be much more vulnerable if he actually lives out his term.

I always thought the plan was that Bunning would die in office and the current Governor would appoint himself to replace Bunning.

Expatriate Kentuckian, here.

[Carolina Voice]

38. sorry excuse

You got that right. We can't seem to rid ourselves of Sue Myrick in HR either. She ran for mayor on 'pot holes' around 1990, never got the pot holes fixed, went on to HR and hasn't done anything but kiss up there. That woman spent so much on advertising this last campaign that it was disgraceful. She won by domination. Money was absolutely no object... huge full color billboards sprinkled feely, and enough signs to reduce the national forest reserve by at least 10%! Good Lord woman, enough is enough!

[election_2004]

40. Crit Luallen will take on Bunning in 2010

McConnell has a secure seat until he retires.

But four years from now: BYE BYE Bunning!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. Chambliss in Georgia

Chambliss is the beneficiary of one of the dirtiest political campaigns in history (remember the ads vs. Max Cleland). If there's a God in heaven, this will be a rematch between Cleland and Chambliss, and we'll mop the floor with that cracker bastard.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. I'd love to see Max run for his seat again

But I fear that while the rst of the nation is going blue, Georgia is headed straight in the opposite direction.

[mcctatas]

16. I agree completely...

of course i will miss saying "Saxby Chambliss" makes me feel like I should be sippin' a Mint Julep under a magnolia tree...
:evilgrin:

[Laelth]

27. Georgia is trending red.

Georgia got even redder this past election. The Lt. Governor's office and the Sec. of State's office both flipped from blue to red (both vacant seats). Two US House incumbents (Marshall-D and Barrow-D) just barely held on to their seats. Sadly, I do not believe Chambliss is vulnerable.

-Laelth


Edit:Laelth--clarity.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

33. Neither was Allen

nt

[Ignacio Upton]

44. Georgia is more conservative than Virginia

Deep South vs. Upper South...Upper South is more Democrat-friendly. Also, more Yankees have migrated to Virginia than to Georgia.

[lyonn]

6. You are just full of good ideas!

And yes, Brad Henry or Carson would be just fine for Okla.

[Daylin Byak]

7. I can see Dan Boren running for the Senate in OK one day

It's obiously he's using the House as a steping stone and one day want to serve in the same chamber his father was in.

His father David was a senator in OK back in the day.

[JCMach1]

8. The Warner thing would be beautiful especially if the Sen. Senator had retired

Mark Warner on the ballot would thoroughly confuse the stupid.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. I don't think Louisiana will give up Landrieu's seniority

Plus I don't think they have a top tier candidate to run against her. Vitter has already run and Jindal is dead set on the Governor's mansion. Congressmen McCrey and Baker are pretty much content with being congressmen for life and not seeking higher office. Charles Boustaney is the biggest threat but I don't think he wants to risk his seat.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. I think that John Warner is safe if he runs again

He's more moderate than Senator Macaca and he's also not a complete ass.

While I don't agree with pretty much anything the guy says I've seen him on the Senate floor and he's the closest thing to a statesman on the Republican side.

But I think that he's getting old and he's probably out after this. I hope that Mark Warner decides to run for his seat.

Also, despite Ford's loss this time, we have a deep bench in Tennessee to challenge Alexander if the pieces are in place. Bredesen would certainly be a formidable opponent but I have a feeling he'd rather finish his term as Governor.

[knight_of_the_star]

13. Mark Warner could give him a run for his money though

From what I understand Mark is very well-liked in Virginia. He could topple John in '08 if he went for it, considering he's opted out of the presidency for now. That and he'll be able to paint John Warner with the same brush as the rest of the Senate GOP by the time we're done digging.

[Hippo_Tron]

14. I think that it would certainly be close, Mark Warner would've toppled Allen

And he's easily the most popular politician in Virgnia, but you also have to give people a good reason to outst an incumbent. Virginians had a great reason with Allen. With John Warner, they don't have as much of a reason.

Remember Bill Weld was extremely popular GOP Governor in Massachusetts but couldn't beat John Kerry for the Senate in 1996.

[gardenista]

15. I like the way you think! K & R

[featherman]

17. Popular Rep and good guy Peter DeFazio would make a good run in Oregon

[NMDemDist2]

19. i heard on CSpan last night that the repukes have 22 of the 33 seats

up in 08

that's a lot of seats to have to defend

[cascadiance]

22. That is why I think impeachment/conviction is possible...

I'd noticed the high number of seats they have at risk then compared to this election. There's a lot of these pukes that have a lot to lose in 2008 if they vote the wrong way in an impeachment hearing.

Al Franken's licking his chops I think at going after Coleman.

And about the Republicans targeting Landrieu, I think WE should target Landrieu in the primaries, and do a better job this time and close the deal instead of finishing half way like we did with Lamont.

[Donna Zen]

21. Rumored in Maine

Susan Collins is thinking about a run for governor, and when she originally ran for the Senate, she said she would only stay for two terms. It would be great to rid of Susie, and that would position Tom Allen (rep) for a senate run.

[cascadiance]

25. I wonder if enough moderates leave the Rethugs, if we can talk Snowe into...

... going the Jeffords route. It sounds like Chaffee is already thinking that. My guess is that the Dems would open up the doors widely so that they don't have to rely solely on Lieberman now for control of the Senate.

[CTD]

23. I want Landrieu taken out in the primary

She might as well be a Repub. She's damn near as bad as Lieberman. And on the important votes, she votes with the Repubs (again, just like Lieberman). Sure, she hasn't kissed W publicly. But she's just as deserving of a primary challenge as Holy Joe was.

We need to not overlook the need to clean out our own house when targeting who needs to go.

[cascadiance]

28. We should also target Mark Pryor in Arkansas for the same reasons...

We really need to go after the DLC and the DINOs next election.

And perhaps if Biden is serious about making a run for the presidency, we should ask him to step down his MBNA/DLC serving butt in congress at that time so someone else can run for the senate then. Perhaps Ruth Minner can appoint someone decent to run then if he does it early enough.

[CTD]

29. Agreed

If I recall correctly, there were a handful of Dems that consistently voted FOR Bush's outrageous nominees (AG and the SC justices). One of the Nelsons was consistently among them as well.

These guys all need to go.

If you can't vote with the party when it matters most, votes of critical importance, you've got to go.

[Hippo_Tron]

36. You don't know very much about Louisiana politics if you think that you can do better

I challenge you to find someone who can win that is better than Landrieu. I guarantee that you will come back empty handed.

And besides, our resources would be much better spent outing our GOP Senator David Vitter who is FAR worse than Landrieu.

[Raiden]

24. I definitely think we can pick up OR, MN, NM, CO, and maybe NH

We might have a chance in those other races you mentioned

[LynneSin]

26. My thoughts

I think Landrieu is safe in Louisiana. Republicans will run like 8 different style republicans against her to force the run-off but she'll still win.

Lautenberg does worry me but only because I think he's gonna retire again. He only took the job as a last minute sub for Rob Torracelli who quit about 5 weeks before his re-election. Lautenberg is very popular in NJ but getting up there in age. I could see this being an open seat fight. Someone get Corday to run! When he was the fill-in Governor after McGreevey resigned, that guy was more popular that the New York Giants on a run for the Super Bowl.

I'd like to see Jeane Shaheen run against Sununu again. She was clearly ahead in the polls and there was some major corruption in that race especially with the jammed phone lines. I think she could take him out easily and not only is she still pretty popular but she would have major financial resources with the Emily's List crowd.

I'd also like to see Max Cleland go after Saxby Chambliss. Max is like the most amazing guy out there and was so totally disrespected by the republicans who never served a minute in our military

[DCal]

30. Kansas - Roberts (72 in 2008) could retire

The Democrats are gaining strength in Kansas. Dennis Moore (3rd District) could win in an open seat race. Or, new Dem AG Morrision, who beat the Republican incumbent with 58% of the vote, could run.

[DCal]

31. Alaska - Ted Stevens (85 in 2008) could retire

If Tony Knowles hadn't just lost for Governor, he would be in an idea position. But he, or someone else, could still make a race of it if the seat is open.

[election_2004]

41. Maybe Fran Ulmer?

[MasonJar]

34. Pat Roberts needs to be targeted; he singlehandedly allowed

Bush to do anything and everything. Wake up, Kansas!

[roguevalley]

35. Ted Stevens, Lisa Murkowski and Don Young of Alaska. A person can dream.

[Alhena]

39. 70+ year old Cochran from Mississippi will likely retire ...

now that he's lost his chairmanship of the Senate appropriations committee.

Former AG Mike Moore has just been waiting for either Lott or Cochran to retire and he will be the favorite to win I think. His opponent will likely be Congressman Chip Pickering. Moore has much greater statewide name recognition than Pickering- Moore has been considered a rising star for many years.

I know Mississippi usually votes Republican, but not always- Democratic governors are often elected. Besides, Mississippi voters are very saavy when it comes to electing Senators who can bring home the bacon with political influence. The simple fact is that a Democratic Senator will be able to do that much more effectively than a Republican one, in a Democratic Senate.

I honestly think Mike Moore will be the next Senator from Mississippi.

[election_2004]

42. Lourey in Minnesota, Madrid in New Mexico, Kurita in Tennessee

The media seems to be high on Al Franken challenging Normy Coleman, but Becky Lourey would be more effective in carrying the rural vote.

If Domenici retires, expect a Wilson/Madrid rematch...this time for U.S. Senate.

Sorry, Harold Ford...but Tennessee politics needs a new face to take on the federal seats. Paging Rosalind Kurita...

[Clark2008]

43. Who???

Look - I know who Rosalind Kurita is, but my point is that no one else in Tennessee does.

We're going to have to find someone with more name recognition than she has. No one knows who she is other than political junkies and those in and around Nashville.

[election_2004]

46. I doubt Bredesen will make the leap....

Governor Bredesen will have his hands full, and I would be very surprised if he runs to Congress at this point. Maybe in 2012, against Corker...?

TN Dems need to either truly assess whether or not Ford is damaged goods at this point, or else give Kurita some serious consideration.

[Clark2008]

48. We simply don't have a lot of infrastructure - and no "big" name

Dems other than Bredesen or Ford.

Maybe that will change in two years, but I'm not so sure.

[Ignacio Upton]

45. Richardson or Udall will run for Senate

If Wilson is stupid enough to give up her House seat, it will be Madrid's.

[election_2004]

47. I'm not so sure...

Would Udall really give up a safe House seat?

I don't think Richardson will pass up running for prez.

Wilson probably thinks she can win, ala Cruella Harris. And NM Republicans will be courting her heavily to step in for a Domenici retirement. They don't really have anyone else.

[Ignacio Upton]

49. Wilson would have a better shot in NM than Cruella in Florida

1. It would be an open race, whereas Cruella ran against an incumbent Senator, even if he wasn't overwhelmingly popular.

2. Wilson, as far as we know, doesn't have the same baggage and ineptitude than Harris has.


I would say that Richardson or Udall are our best candidates for Senate, because we would almost be guaranteed Wilson's House seat if Madrid runs against another, relatively-unknown Republican.