RI Senate Dem Langevin defeats Rep Chafee 52-32

[WI_DEM]

It is a Democratic party poll but it's pretty telling. If Chafee isn't going to abandon the party of GW Bush then we should go all out to defeat him. US Rep. James Langevin currently holds a strong 20-pt lead: 52-32. If the South is going to be the GOP bastion of strength then we must make the Northeast and especially NE our's. We should target Olympia Snowe as well.

http://www.dailykos.com

you'll have to stroll down.

[saltpoint]

1. In a more perfect electoral landscape --

-- we would have Langevin in that RI senate seat, but replace Lieberman in CT with Lincoln Chafee.

I can't stomach Lieberman's grandstanding for Dubya and would just as soon see him out of the senate altogether.

Chafee is more liberal than Lieberman, Bayh, and Ben Nelson, just to name three Democrats.

By the way -- is Tommy Thompson really running for the Senate? My god.

'Appreciate the update on Langevin, WI DEM. Thank you.

[WI_DEM]

2. No, Tommy is more interested in another run for Governor

I agree with you that Chafee votes better than Bayh and Nelson (actually Lieberman has an overall pretty liberal record despite his rhetoric). But this war and if he is going to wear the Republican banner we must fight him.

[saltpoint]

3. Another run for governor for Tommy?

Can Doyle fend him off?

Do whatever you can. I'm hoping for more Democrats and fewer Republicans.

I'll send good vibes.

[WI_DEM]

4. thanks

It would be a real nail biter if he does run, Doyle doesn't have the hold on the electorate (I honestly don't think) that Tommy did, but he is seen as a competent governor, whether that is enough to defeat Tommy's cheerleading is to be seen (if he runs).

[Old and In the Way]

5. Don't forget Sue Collins....another Rep. Senator from Me

She's gotta go, too. She and Olympia are more than welcome to cross the aisle and become Democrats....or face a vicious RW attack in the primaries. (I'll be re-registering and voting for whatever troglodyte is running against them).

[DaveinMD]

6. In Maryland

we were able to defeat Connie Morella in 2002. She was a Republican much like Collins. Chris Van Hollen beat her and was re-elected with 70 percent this year. It can be done.

[formernaderite]

13. they also redrew the district lines to make this possible....

they added voters who had not voted for her before. I'm not so sure she wouldn't have won again if the district had been left as is.

[DaveinMD]

15. that's true

but Terry Lierman came very close the election before. I think Van Hollen may have been able to do it anyway.

[Rowdyboy]

7. If we could take out Maine's 2 RINO senators

Rhodes Island's Chafee, Pennsylvania's Specter and Sanctorum, and New Hampshires Gregg and Sununu the senate would be Democratic 52-48. Those are all Blue state so why do they have Republican senators? Yet the voters of Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island choose to allow Bush to run the senate too.

If the north-east was really as Blue as some claim, this shouldn't be a problem. Admittedly, most of the leadership (Lott/Frist etc) is southern but it takes the votes of people like Chafee, Snowe, Collins, and Specter to elect them to the leadership in the first place...Hold the bastards accountable.

[liberalpragmatist]

8. NH has a lot of paleocons

Barely went for Kerry. Gregg's very popular. Neither of them are RINO's though. However, we may be able to knock off Sununu next cycle - maybe the new Dem governor will run after 2 terms in the statehouse. But I dunno.

I'm totally open to looking into knocking off RINO senators in blue states. I like them personally and I respect them, but we can't be naive. The Republicans show no deference to our red-state Democratic senators and we can't be naive - we should act the same way.

We need to put a lot of pressure on Chafee. I like him and I wish he would switch parties, but frankly I doubt it. I think we can knock him off.

I'm much less sure we can knock off the Maine girls. Democrats actually gave Collins a spirited challenge in '02 that went nowhere. Maine is much less partisan and very much likes "independent" thinkers, so while I think we should seriously try to challenge Snowe (at least to force the RNC to spend money on the race) I don't think we'll be able to knock her off.

RI is much more blue - very Dem and Chafee's popular, but the people realize that he's a vote for Republican leadership.

[Old and In the Way]

14. Snowe may retire.......

People are coming around. Maine went pretty solid for Kerry and I think in 2 years the case will be made that voting Democrat has to happen, for the good of the country. I hope Chellie Pingree (head of Common Cause) reruns against Collins. Something about Sue in the way she talks that grates me. Sounds like she's on some kind of medication....

[BlueInRed]

9. I wonder if it would prompt them to cross over

if they thought they really might be booted out? That alone might be worth pursuing. (By "they" I mean Chafee, Collins, Snowe, etc)

[w4rma]

10. Defeat Chafee. He's a neo-con on economics. That's why he's still a Repug.

And we need as many STRONG Dems in the Senate as possible. A Dem from RH in that seat would be very likely to be a fighter.

[Leilani]

11. I realize Republicans started this fight

but I think it's sad.

Each party becomes more & more extreme, with nobody left in the middle. I think having a wide range of views is a good idea.

I'm of the "old school" thinking that Chafee is a really good guy, & I wish people weren't judged simply by an "R" or "D" next to their name.

[w4rma]

12. Forget the "R" or "D" if it makes you feel better when you vote.

Look past those letters and remember what they mean. A Democratic Congressperson votes for a Democratic House/Senate Leader. A Republican Senator votes for Frist to decide which bills get to the floor and which ones don't.

Don't be so "bleeding heart" that you aren't willing to do what is necessary to get folks like Frist out of power by getting these "moderate" Repugs replaced with Democrats.

[Old and In the Way]

16. It is sad.

But the Republicans have radicalized the politics in this country.

Moderate Republicans won't survive anyway....all will get challenged by extremist elements in their own Party. They are a dying breed.

That can do the right thing (for this country and themselves) and cross the aisle where they'll find common ground...or they can go extinct. One way or the other, they are going to get picked off.

[fujiyama]

18. Hmmmm...

the last I heard, the party that has more reps and senators has control of the House/Senate.

Chafee is OK and he's welcome to change parties, but if he's not goin to, I don't really feel sorry for him.

If he's enabling Frist or whomever other nutcase the repukes will have as senate majority leader in '06 he deserves to go. It's that simple.

[fujiyama]

17. I'm glad to start seeing some early polling data

on '04. I'm tired of worrying about '04. I'm interested in moving on.

And I agree with you completely. Just like the GOP is knocking out moderate Dems in southern and other red states, we should be targetting NE repukes, that's if they don't switch.

Time for the party to grow a fuckin spine.

[Renew Deal]

19. The pukes want to primary him.

Chafee should defect to the dems.