ha ha

Putnam resigning to go for Ag Commish is still funny to me after all this time. Now what ever happened to this primary? If he resigns and loses, that will be icing on the cake. Pretty amusing to see Blunt resigning as well, although Senate is a more sensible career move. Oh well, the two of em will make top-tier lobbyists if they fail.

I would be honestly shocked to see Bachmann run for governor. There are so many candidates already on both sides. Unless she wants to run on behalf of whatever Alan Keyes's party is... American Independent Jesus Flag Apple Pie Warriors or whatever.

I'm glad Chet Edwards declined VA Sec. That story musta slipped by me at the time, but I can't believe Obama wanted to take a Democrat out of a R+20 district...!! I was already rather disappointed in his decision to take so many Senators and Senate candidates for his cabinet (plenty of other folks to pick from). Edwards has some DINO tenancies but God knows what we could end up with.

Heath Shuler and Bart Stupak on the other hand... their districts seem more moderate than they are, kinda wish Obama would find ambassadorships to Siberia for em.

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by: Siobhan @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 09:44:40 AM CST

Serious Question

Had you even heard of Bart Stupak before his amendment came up a few weeks back?

My knowledge of Stupak was: From Michigan's Northern district (including peninsula), great on labor, socially conservative or moderate (knew no details of co-founder of pro-life caucus).

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by: trowaman @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 10:55:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Yes

And while he isn't so bad on labor or foreign policy, his terrible record on social issues (which are important to me) and primadonna attitude are enough to make me think we can do better.

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by: Siobhan @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 15:50:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Age/Legal issues

you should also put Murtha on the list of potential retirements.

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by: duffman @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 09:49:55 AM CST

Historically, what is the cutoff for retirements ...?

I would say Feb 1 is usually the limit on those, but I don't have any data to back that up.  Occasionally, you will get a late last minute one.  

Does this list include ALL credible primary challenges?  I assume it does since Inglis is not likely to retire but does face a tough primary.  

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by: vicupstate @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 10:24:13 AM CST

March

http://www.swingstateproject.c...

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 10:35:04 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Bachmann

isn't going to run for governor. She clearly has a ton of ambition, but I think it's directed more at the Senate. Being governor requires building consensus, which she clearly has no interest in doing.

Plus, Bachmann arguably has more support from national Republicans than from Minnesota republicans. I think she's more likely to pull a Tancredo-esque run for President than for Governor.

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by: gopherprof @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 11:41:48 AM CST

she better decide soon

Because come 2012 redistricting she may be drawn out of her house seat.

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by: ChadInFL @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 13:45:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Pence/Bachmann '12!

Let's aim for an LBJ-style landslide for Obama, shall we?  

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by: notanothersonofabush @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 16:12:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I could see Pence getting the nomination

But whilst he is rigidly conservative, he's too smart to pick Bachmann as a running mate. He'd go for somebody who, if not moderate, is at least non-controversial. Someone like John Hoeven.

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by: Englishlefty @ Wed Nov 18, 2009 at 06:29:00 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Retirements have been good to Dems thus far

Unless we see an avalanche of vulnerable Dems retire in early 2010 losses should be modest (25 or less at most).  1994 saw FAR more retirements and Dems have a good track record of incumbents rarely losing.

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by: ChadInFL @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 12:16:27 PM CST

I think there won't be many retirements in 2010

because incumbents will want to wait until redistricting to see what happens.

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by: duffman @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 13:17:42 PM CST

Here's another potentially open seat on the Republican end: IN-04.

I haven't seen it on the radar here at SSP yet, but over the past couple of weeks Steve Buyer has been in big trouble with the press after it came out that his congressional "charity" is actually a slush fund operated by his son, daughter, and campaign finance director that takes money from lobbyists who represent industries in the same sectors covered by Buyer's committee assignments. It's also come out that Buyer's son, while serving on the board of this "foundation", was also on the payroll of one of Buyer's favorite pharmaceutical lobbyists. It's been heavily covered by local media, including the Indy Star, and CBS News has even picked the story up at the national level.

Of course, being the shameless putz that he is, I doubt Buyer resigns willingly, and being that it's an R +14 district there's little chance that he loses to a Democrat, but you'd think there'd be a primary challenge at this point - and even if there isn't, the pressure behind the scenes to get rid of him has got to be building by now.

This also makes it entirely possible that the four Republican-represented CD's in Indiana will have entirely different representation by 2012.  

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by: notanothersonofabush @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 16:07:12 PM CST

Should Wexler

be listed as off the retirement list as he was awhile back for not running for Senate but now he is officially retiring.

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by: Andrew @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 18:29:36 PM CST

Fixed, thanks

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by: DavidNYC @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 20:47:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Perhaps Alan Mollohan (WV-01) should be on the list

He's a relatively spry 66, but is eternally dogged by ethical problems, and his campaign account is nearly empty. Man, he and Nick Rahall have been in Congress for a long time.

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by: Johnny Longtorso @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 18:54:45 PM CST

I was thinking that

Maybe Visclosky too.

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 19:15:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

We need a little more to go on

Than that. Some members are good at surviving ethical lapses, others go down in flames. Without something concrete like an indictment or a meaningful primary challenge, though, we err on the side of not listing.

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by: DavidNYC @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 20:49:08 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Sure do

Is anyone in our party the least bit upset Jefferson lost when he did?  I'm sure as hell not.  That defeat really saved the party a major headache since he just got 13 years in the can.

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by: ChadInFL @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 21:49:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Seconded.

Check out the 2010 California races (http://2010californiaracetracker.wetpaint.com) and help us take back Red California! (http://www.takebackredcalifornia.org)

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by: californianintexas @ Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 22:49:04 PM CST

[ Parent ]