January 31, 2008
At RCP there’s an article by Reid Wilson, House Republicans Face Late Exodus, goes along way on how bad things are for the Republicans:
A wave of late-breaking retirement announcements have left beleaguered House Republicans swamped in recent days as five members have told House leaders they will not seek re-election this Fall. The announcements bring to 27 the number of open seats Republicans will have to defend throughout the year, and some believe the end is not yet in sight.
Looks even grimmer when he gets into some of the details, but
The National Republican Congressional Committee, ailing financially, has at least some good news to point to: Democrats targeted two special elections earlier this year, both of which the Republican candidates handled easily. Thanks to those Democratic losses, NRCC spokesman Ken Spain said, “the DCCC has been forced to face the reality that 2006 has come and gone.†This month, too, seven serious Republican challengers have entered races the party thinks they might be able to re-take or hold.
But, there always a but:
But surveying the national climate, Republicans are not hopeful of a recovery next year, and some think the retirements will continue. “A lot of people are looking at the political landscape†and deciding to drop out, said GOP consultant Craig Shirley. “Everybody on the Republican side is having a tough time raising money.â€
But I have my own but, and that is locally there are two new men running--out loud as conservative Republicans. About those dropping out, I’d like some ideological details but no one is offering.
Putting the rest of the article aside and by all means read it, but I do believe we’ve reach a defining moment. Follow me on this:
We have a Democrat Congress which is the ironically the Lame duck. Keep in mind Harry Reid’s approval is lower than Bush’s. We have Republicans who threw away their majority by acting like Democrats. Now, some of these Republicans are retiring. Is that all bad? Yes, this does force the RNC to scramble, but so what! That’s their function.
I see a shift going on, and shift is in the mind of the voter, right or left, and that shift is toward candidates which will do what the people elected them for. The new crop of representatives will have to listen--actually, listen to their constituency.
Sometimes, it seems that the people have a better sense of their own security, a better sense of the law and of justice, and of right and wrong.
GOP consultant Craig Shirley joked: “With all the corruption of Congress, some might think it resembles a jail break more than a massive retirement.â€
But, maybe, the public doesn’t get the joke.
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