[Ambrakam]

Is Buddy Cianci out of prison yet?

[12ZHeWZa]

Good points Ramo, although I would point out that Toomey was rapidly closing the gap as the primary approached.

The latter situation might even be preferable since winning the Senate looks improbable at this point (the stars would have to allign on all of the toss-up races and they would have to win either TN or VA), and a wide motivation gap would be essential in winning the House (which is the more important chamber to win, in any case). Remember that in '94, the chief reason for the GOP landslide was that Dems didn't turn out and Republicans did. I wouldn't say it that's improbable- there are alot of signs of weakness in the economy right now and we could easily see a housing lead recession. A significant negative turn in the economy could give the Dems the push they need to get them over the top in both chambers. And after the whole "Macaca" incident, Webb has been pulling much clsoer in the polls.

[MilenaJaf]

Originally posted by Admiral
While I'm as much in favor of the Dems taking back the Senate as the next guy, to do so would involve basically every even romotely competitive senate race going to the Dems. And barring that, I think I'd like to see Chafee stay in the Senate.

The fact is, the Republican move farther and farther to the right is hurting the country. While in 2006, the Dems might retake Congress, that isn't really a solution. For there to be restored balance, there absolutely needs to be room for moderates in the GOP. And right now, Chafee is one of a very few Republicans who dares to disagree with the extremist party line. Throwing him from the party would be another Jeffords incident, and would seriously hurt any notions of diversity in the GOP.

So I hope that Chafee wins the primary, and the DSCC spends its money elsewhere. I couldn't disagree more. I actually think Chaffee's a good guy, but he doesn't belong in the GOP. Part of what's hurting the Dems is that conservative Democrats don't seem to have many qualms about bolting party (Richard Shelby, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, and a host of lesser lights) or noisily supporting the GOP over their own party (Zell Miller). But moderate-to-liberal Republicans won't do the same or, when they do, leave teh GOP but don't join the Dems (Jeffords, Lowell Weicker). Chaffee is a Democrat in all but name, but why should the Dems settle for that instead of an actual Democrat? They only gain substantive votes on occasion, and lose his procedural votes almost all the time. Out with him!

[fluistulkn]

Ben Nelson isn't that conservative. He's no Russ Feingold, but Zell Miller or Joe Lieberrman he ain't.

[Patgaepx]

What worries me is the notion that the political parties are becoming more and more regional. Every member of Congress from the Northeast should not be a Democrat, and every member from the South shouldn't be a Republican.