Primary Battles: Florida, Missouri, Illinois, and West Virginia

[mndemocrat_29]

The Senate battles in Florida and Illinois look highly promising for Democrats, with a plethora of viable candidates in both.

The gubernatorial matchups in Missouri (Holden vs. McCaskill) and West Virginia (Wise vs. Manchin) could greatly outcome the overall balance of the governorships.

Who do all of you support and who do you think has the best chance of winning? I'm currently for Deutsch (though I originally wanted Penelas), Pappas (though I also like Hynes), McCaskill, and Manchin.

[hedda_foil]

1. Pappas? Hynes?????

You do like the DLC types don't you?

The name of the game in Illinois is

OBAMA!

[NewJerseyDem]

2. I agree

Barack Obama seems like a really strong candidate. It is hard to tell how liberal he will be but Dan Hynes does seem to be somewhat moderate. I think that either of those two would be good candidates but I prefer Obama.

[XNASA]

3. Senator Obama, Senator Obama, Senator Obama

Get used to it. Down here in the 2nd Cong Dist....It's Barak Obama, all the way.

[NewJerseyDem]

4. McCaskill, Manchin, Obama, Deutsch

I don't know much about the gubernatorial battles in Missouri and West Virginia but it seems like Holden and Wise aren't very popular so I think that a new candidate would be are best shot, particularly in West Virginia.

In Illinios, I think that Obama is the best candidate and in Florida I Deutsch is my pick. I thought that Penelas would be good but it seems like he has made a lot of enemies with a lot of different groups down in Florida so Deutsch seems better.

[GBD4]

5. Deutsch

will make PLENTY of enemies, too, once he starts talking. He's my Congressman, but I won't be voting for him for the United States Senate. I am torn between US Rep Allen Boyd (FL-2) and former FL Education Commissioner Betty Castor, twice elected statewide, though that was many years ago.

[NewJerseyDem]

10. Boyd is moderate

I don't know how liberal you are, but Boyd seems to be very moderate. He has a 35% rating lifetime from the ACU and got only a 70% rating from the ADA last year.

[GBD4]

11. I am very liberal

lol but given Florida's statewide makeup, I wonder if he is more viable than some of the others. however, as I posted this morning in another thread, North Floridian candidates aren't always successful. I'm just not thrilled with Deutsch, and Penelas is not very competent in Miami it seems . . . there are no prominent Dems statewide other than our two U.S. Senators, so we are limited

[election_2004]

6. my picks...

McCaskill, Obama, and Penelas.

I don't know much about Wise or Manchin.

[ButterflyBlood]

7. I'll have to say

Missouri: McCaskill. She looks like she has a far better chance of winning than Holden.
Illinois: I don't know too much about all the candidates, but apparentely Obama is the most progressive.
Florida: Pelenas probably has the best chance of winning, but he's done some shady things and gives me the impression he'd end up being a Bayh-type. But since keeping every Senate seat is essential, I'll go with him if the GOP puts up a strong candidate. Otherwise I hope Deutsch can win.
West Virginia: I'll say Manchin, since he probably has a better chance if Wise's affair has hurt him as badly as I've heard.

[ringmastery]

8. Betty Castor

I think Betty's the best bet for the Dem's to hold onto the FL senate seat. She has won statewide before and is from Tampa and the all important I4 corridor. Central and North Florida don't particularly care for candidates from the South. She'll also be the only woman in the race.

Someone else to watch is Hastings. He's could win a plurality of votes in the primary if he cleans house with African Americans, though I think the chances of Florida electing a liberal black democrat to the senate are very poor.

[ButterflyBlood]

9. if Hastings somehow wins the primary, the seat is all but lost

the guy's way too plagued with scandals and is far too liberal to win statewide. luckily i don't think he has too much of a shot, since most people are aware of his viability, and i hope he's not stupid enough to think he actually has a chance of winning the seat.

[cady]

12. West Virginia

Joe Manchin is a right wing Rep in Dem clothing. Bob Wise probably will not run.