G.O.P. Seeks to Widen Field of Play in Fall Elections - NYTimes.com
This is the huge payoff of pro-Republican national forces: candidate recruitment.
Also see the sidebar on primaries to watch.
And on the Dem side, Beau Biden decides it is a bad year to be part of a political dynasty. Negative recruitment. And note Dad's fine performance over the weekend blurting out his son's plans then getting the Delaware paper to retract the story. And now...
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In this type of national environment (namely, a wave of voter angst and resentment being directed at those in power), wouldn't it be wise for Democrats to go on the offensive against vulnerable Republicans rather than just playing defense? Certainly it is important that Democrats work to hold onto safe seats, but if the populist wave continues, why not really go after Roy Blunt in Missouri, Richard Burr in North Carolina, and (maybe) even Chuck Grassley in Iowa? The voters are mad at Dems, sure, but they're also mad at everyone with a 202 area code, and Blunt and Burr in particular could be seen as "Washington Insiders" that will have a lot of trouble this cycle. Plus, it would somewhat change the media narrative, which has (rightly) portrayed Democrats as entirely on the defensive, which is no way to inspire your voters.
ReplyDeleteWow…what an interesting article! There are so many factors that influence these elections and very few people have talked about the ideology issue until this article.
ReplyDeleteAs I had mentioned in another posting and as this article has emphasized, I think the Tea Party movement has inspired a lot of people to do something about what they may perceive as a government that is going too far in the wrong direction. For instance, there are six Republican nominees in Illinois vying for the governor's office. Additionally, there are six people running for the 8th Congressional District in Wisconsin. These numbers are awe inspiring. No matter what party you favor, this is true testament to American democracy - people taking a stand and an active role in their government.
I do not share the sentiments that some like Van Hollen that the Republicans will run themselves too far to the right and alienate key supporters like independents, and center-right Republicans. I am not sure if the country is ready for a hard, very right-wing movement, and I think Republican leadership knows this. People are upset with how leftist the Democrats have pushed their political agenda this year, and that is causing voters to move to the right, not the politicians.
This "purity resolution" that is being discussed sounds very elite and exclusive. I understand that GOP leaders want to keep their members in line, but I do not think this is the time to be 'picky.' The Republicans are hanging on by a thread and should not get too arrogant after some key wins. Those in the GOP who run need to stick to a simple agenda of jobs, the economy, less government intervention, and similar talking points.