Thread: Senatorial Elections 2008

Mark Begich

That's the guy. Looks like he has a fairly comfy lead in the polls.

RealClearPolitics - Election 2008 - Alaska Senate

^ Thanks Mr. Earle.

One potential strategy for Stevens and the AK GOP is to have Stevens win the nomination (which I think he has) and then bow out, enabling one of the more stronger GOP candidates to replace him.

Stevens has been linked to the infamous "bridges to nowhere" in Alaska and other pork projects.

He's been in the Senate for 35 years. That's too long, IMO. More years, mean more seniority, more committees, and more pork.

This is similary to my districk with my Congressman. He's been in 30 years, and he just got federal funds to dig, and build a tunnel, where I don't even it's necesarry. It's a joke.

indicted republican senator ted stevens won his primary contest and will be up against the very popular democratic mayor of anchorage in november.

the trial begins next month, and stevens is facing 7 felony charges.

Federal prosecutors allege Stevens lied on Senate disclosure reports to conceal more than $250,000 in home renovations and gifts from oil industry executives.

Indicted Stevens wins Alaska primary - Capitol Hill - MSNBC.com

Stevens is very popular in Alaska. He's got he biz of milking federal $ down to a science.
Alaska is swimming in federal money.
They also had the foresight to fund the "permanent dividend" fund from oil revenue generated in the 70's and 80's were every resident of Alaska for over a year can apply for the dividend.
Largely thanks to Ted Stevens. Over the years he's managed to keep the liberal bozos from getting at the fund.

Originally Posted by raycarey

the trial begins next month, and stevens is facing 7 felony charges.

Originally Posted by Mr Earl

he's managed to keep the liberal bozos from getting at the fund.

Bozo's and felons. Interesting politics in Alaska.

Ak is a circus. politically.

Originally Posted by Norton

Bozo's and felons. Interesting politics in Alaska.

Stevens hasn't been convicted of anything yet.
I kind of hope he does get the shaft.
He brokered a sweetheart subsidy deal for his buddy who owns Frontier Airlines. Basically he changed the rules of a government mail subsidy to favor his pal.
Many airlines went out of business as a result.
I think he's scum.

But a lot of people like him up there.

Conservatives are concerned. They have a big push on to prevent the Dems from gaining 60 seats in the Senate. These races may well be more important than the Presidential race.

"Here’s Senator Hatch’s appeal:

“Dear Fellow Conservative,

I have been telling you that the Senate is the firewall that protects our country from irresponsible Democrat legislation: higher taxes, wasteful spending, more regulation on small businesses and more liberal-activist judges on the Supreme Court . . .

Barack Obama's campaign manager recently told Politico that Obama will focus his campaign resources in Republican states to break our firewall and gain a 60 seat filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate:

But winning the White House won't be his only goal, deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand told Politico: In an unusual move, Obama's campaign will also devote some resources to states it's unlikely to win, with the goal of influencing specific local contests in places such as Texas and Wyoming.’

Obama's goal is to destroy our firewall, but we can fight back!"

Senator Hatch’s appeal is part of the usual unfolding political campaign on both sides. They each say the roof is falling and you must dig into your pockets to save the country.

But Senator Hatch is correct: Obama and the Democrats know they’re in a fight to the finish with John McCain and the Republicans for the White House -- but the U.S. Senate, with a 49-49 split between Democrats and Republicans, with two Democrats called Independents tilting things slightly to the Democratic side, makes the U.S. Senate the real battleground in this year’s election.

Both parties know they can cherry-pick a few vulnerable seats on either side to pick up the 60-seat filibuster-proof majority they need and ram through a McCain or Obama administration’s legislative agenda in the first few months, or foil a McCain or Obama administration’s domestic and foreign policy legislative agenda through at least the first two years of the next presidential administration.

Five Republican incumbents have announced their retirements, so open seats are: Wayne Allard of Alaska, Larry Craig of Idaho, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Pete Domenici of New Mexico, and John Warner of Virginia.

Twelve incumbent Democrats seeking re-election for another six-year term are: Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Joseph Biden of Delaware, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Carl Levin of Michigan, Max Baucus of Montana, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, and John D. (Jay) Rockefeller of West Virginia.

Only one of the Democratic incumbents, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, is thought to be truly vulnerable to defeat by the Republicans.

Twenty-three incumbent Republicans seeking re-election are: Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Ted Stevens of Alaska, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, John Cornyn of Texas, Michael Enzi and John Barrasso of Wyoming.

Three Republican incumbents are considered truly vulnerable to defeat by Democrats -- Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Michael Enzi and John Barrasso, both of Wyoming.

So the U.S. Senate is the key. Whether McCain or Obama wins the White House, the party that wins a 60-vote super veto-proof majority in the U.S. Senate next November will run the country."

GEORGE ARCHIBALD: WHICH EVER PARTY WINS 60 U.S. SENATE SEATS WILL RULE THE COUNTRY

I will scream if Congressbitch Pelosi remains house speaker. Please tell me that post is up for renewal.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

I will scream if Congressbitch Pelosi remains house speaker. Please tell me that post is up for renewal.

Pelosi is in the Congress not the Senate, even though you may be referring to a post.

Ya, and why did I call her congressbitch if I didn't know the house split? I'm just asking for her to be removed.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

I will scream if Congressbitch Pelosi remains house speaker. Please tell me that post is up for renewal.

Pelosi is in the Congress not the Senate, even though you may be referring to a post.

I know, MM. I'm just hoping she can get ditched somewhere along the way, even though she's not a senator.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

I know, MM. I'm just hoping she can get ditched somewhere along the way, even though she's not a senator.

I don't like Pelosi.

I think that she hurts the (D) party.

Can the Democrats get 60 seats in the Senate, which will be enough seats to block a filibuster?

By Tom Curry
National affairs writer
MSNBC
Oct. 8, 2008

WASHINGTON - Over a year ago, in August 2007, I went out on a limb and wrote that “it now looks possible that in next year’s elections the Democrats just might attain the 60 seats they need to foil Republican filibusters.”
That possibility seemed far-fetched then. Today it seems feasible.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told reporters at a Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday that the prospect of his party getting 60 seats “are better than they were two weeks ago; they keep getting better, but you don’t know until you get much closer” to Election Day.

Democrats driving for 60 Senate seats - Decision '08 - MSNBC.com

Originally Posted by Milkman

Can the Democrats get 60 seats in the Senate, which will be enough seats to block a filibuster?

It's very possible but I hope it doesn't happen. Should Obama be elected as it looks like he will and the Dems retain their majority it will go along way in ending the partisan gridlock that has plagued the government over the last few years. However, if the Dems win 60 Senate seats it would effectively remove GOP from what is needed in any government. A loyal opposition!

Pelosi is very popular in San Francisco. She has to run every two years. Her seat is in no danger.

The link below shows a map of the states where there may be changes.

There has been talk about the 60 seats in the Senate to block a filibuster. Filibustering is rare, however.

Fro the map: Senate Democrats eye 'magic 60' - CNN.com

Originally Posted by Milkman

There has been talk about the 60 seats in the Senate to block a filibuster. Filibustering is rare, however.

You are right, they are rare. I don't think the Dems will get the 60 anyway. Looks more like 56-58.

60 would be great, but 57 will likely be enough to get the country back on course.

The Minnesota race with Franken and Coleman is separated by

475 votes out of 2.9 million.

Now this is what we call close.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A slugfest for nearly two years, Minnesota's U.S. Senate race headed into a new round Wednesday as the campaigns girded for an automatic statewide recount to determine whether Republican Sen. Norm Coleman's bare lead over Democratic challenger Al Franken would stand.


Coleman declared himself the winner of Tuesday's election, but Franken said he would let the recount play out, hoping it would erase the incumbent's 475-vote lead out of nearly 2.9 million ballots. State officials said the recount wouldn't start until mid-November and would probably take weeks.

Link: go to yahoo . com, as this is tied to my email, sorry.