I think Montana will go blue in '06 and possibly in '08 (Schweitzer as VP)

[WI_DEM]

I think that Jon Tester has a great chance to defeat discredited and crooked GOP Senator Conrad Burns (who only narrowly hung on in '00). The Montana Democratic party has been rejuvenated due largely to Governor Brian Schweitzer who remains very popular in the state and is almost guaranteed to be re-elected in November. I was going to say that Tester could cling to the Governor's coat-tails but given his landslide win in the primary against the former front runner I'd say that Tester has his own substantial base, but no doubt about it a ticket with Schweitzer and Tester on the ballot must bring great trepidation to the Montana Republican Party.

Now fast forward to 2008 and we need to expand our electoral base. We can't always campaign for the same 18-20 "BLUE" states and expect to win. For one thing many of those blue states seem to lose electoral votes every ten years due to population declines. I think that Brian Schweitzer, then in his second term as Governor of Montana would be a great choice for Vice President for nearly any Democrat who is nominated.

Now I know that Montana has only three electoral votes, but it's also three electoral votes we haven't had since Clinton won them in '92 and before that we'd have to go back to the Johnson landslide of 1964. Also, Schweitzer has a potent personality which will appeal to Independents as well as Democrats and even (if his popularity in Montana is any indication) some Republicans. Also a westerner like Schweitzer on the ticket would help in other western states where Democrats have been making headway: Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona. In many ways, our party should look west rather than south (though of course we shouldn't write off the south either).

[Montauk6]

1. No chance of any blue states going red, I hope (heaven forbid, knock wood)

[WI_DEM]

2. I hope not

but even with the same blue states as Kerry won in '04 we would need to carry some red states to win.

[CrispyQ]

3. I like Schweitzer.

I'd love to see him on the '08 ticket. I think he has a lot of appeal to rural Americans & seems like a no bullshit kind of guy. No more Bushes; no more Clintons.

[skipos]

4. Agree 100%!!! nt

[neoblues]

5. Just for interest's sake

Current Bush Approval Numbers:

State........Approve....Disapprove

Montana......46%........52%

Arizona......39%........59%
Colorado.....35%........64%
Nevada.......37%........62%
New Mexico...35%........63%

States that are trailing the rest of us in recognizing the Bush insanity...


Idaho........52%........45%
Utah.........51%........46%
Wyoming......50%........49%

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1371585&mesg_id=1371585
http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StatePres060515State.htm