What will the pundits say if Lincoln Chafee is defeated in his primary?

[WI_DEM]

There is a good chance two US Senators could be defeated in party primaries this year--Next week Joe Lieberman and then later (is it Sept?) Lincoln Chafee. The polls in RI have indicated a very close race with GOP voters favoring Chafee's opponent while Independents continue to favor Chafee. Like in CT it will come down to turn-out.

The media wants to foster the idea that all of Joe's problems are due to liberal bloggers who hate his stand on the war. That the democrats are being taken over by the far left! What will they say if a GOP primary defeats Chafee? Will they point out that the GOP has moved so far to the right that there are hardly any "moderates" left? That the democrats allow more dissention in our party while the GOP wants all their elected representatives to tow the line--the ultra right wing, fundie line that has brought this country to where it is today.

[Kagemusha]

1. They'll say he overpaid for Mrs. Phone Jammer.

(yes, that is very, very cynical)

[hfojvt]

2. yeah I wanna see if there is alot of hand-wringing

"boo hoo hoo, moderates are being made extinct" like there is for poor Joe Lieberman, the Senator who shills for the BFEE. I kinda hope he is defeated, it would give the Democrat a better shot, wouldn't it? In all the national crocodile tears for MoJo and the death of moderation none of these pundits have looked at the recent primary in Kansas. My local county chair said - "conservatives got thumped". That is, Republican conservatives got thumped by Republican moderates. Unfortunately that makes it harder for us to get the moderate cross-over vote.

[Lasher]

3. That's OK, Chafee is toast anyway according to the latest poll.

Rasmussen now gives Whitehouse a 46% to 41% advantage in the general election. Sure hope this trend continues.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/July%202006/rhodeIslandSenate.htm

[Awsi Dooger]

4. Let's hope it never gets to that

Chafee will get a boost in the polls vs. Whitehouse if he wins the primary. We can't kid ourselves it isn't difficult to knock out an incumbent. Much better if we get the break in part one, Laffey defeating Chafee.

[splat]

5. Laffey could be your worst nightmare come true

Stop him now.

[w4rma]

8. No. He's not hardly any different from Chafee.

Chafee is alot less moderate than he tries to appear to be.

[Beetwasher]

13. The Repubs Are Doomed In RI

RI hates Chimpy. RI has the lowest approvals and highest dissaprovals for Chimpy of any state in the country. Chafee's incumbancy is the ONLY thing the Repubs got going. If Chafee loses, then there's not a chance in hell Laffey would get elected, and as it stands now, Chafee would probably lose the general election as well.

[Lasher]

7. I show us with 5 wins & no losses right now.

Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Close, but no cigar. You know I hate to admit it, but I think you're right - it's unlikely that we will pick up the 6 Senate seats we'll need to regain control.

The House looks even more questionable, but I'm hoping there is more potential there for plesant surprises. For now I think predictions at these 2 sites are pretty accurate:

http://www.electionprojection.com/elections2006.html

http://electionpredictions.blogspot.com/

Edit: The weakest Republican, Corker, won the primary in Tennessee, but now we're behind there by double digits anyway - for now.

[Pushed To The Left]

6. What if Chafee lost the primary and ran as an Independent?

That would be interesting. Sean Hannity would do a complete flip-flop!

[cyclezealot]

9. RI has that many Freepers.

RI is the Most Democratic state in the union? Freepers in mass in RI? Difficult to believe. A lot of Chafee's moderation is just image.

[kentuck]

10. What's the difference between Chaffee and Lieberman?

Not a whole lot, in my opinion. They both play the same game. Pretend to be a "moderate" but support the fascists at every major opportunity. Try to maintain your base and enough supporters from the other Party to make it very difficult to be defeated. Chaffee and MoJo may end up consoling each other.

[saltpoint]

11. If Chafee loses his primary, pundits may say he failed to define

himself with his constituency, that his political profile seemed often at odds with his party alliances.

He frustrates me because I can see he's a bright man, but he wobbled and hedged on John Bolton, when Biden was making a clear-cut case for Bolton as a psychotic maniac. It was arguably Biden's best moment of this Congress and arguably Chafee's worst.

I expect Chafee frustrates GOP conservatives because he's not a manipulative asshole like Orrin Hatch (Hatch is almost the definition of 'manipulative asshole'), and GOP heavy-weight donors don't like Republicans perceived as "moderate" and nevermind talk of Republicans using the Jeffords model and switching affiliation.

In 2006 I think Chafee loses the general election to Whitehouse even if he survives his primary. Lotsa Democrats in Rhode Island and they're revved up to dump incumbents if need be.

[Beetwasher]

12. The Repubs Are Doomed In RI

RI hates Chimpy. RI has the lowest approvals and highest dissaprovals for Chimpy of any state in the country. Chafee's incumbancy is the ONLY thing the Repubs got going. If Chafee loses, then there's not a chance in hell the other Repub would get elected, and as it stands now, Chafee would probably lose the general election as well.

[splat]

14. People don't know Laffey's a freeper

Check this out, from the Providence Journal
Laffey takes to the streets

He pounds three bullet points:

U.S. dependence on foreign oil is ruining the country and enriching its enemies.

The tax code should be rewritten, and pork spending eliminated.

Drug companies are gouging the elderly.

[OnionPatch]

15. The usual hypocrisy

of the MSM exposed again. Of course they will tout the "Dems aren't united", "Dems are going too far left" etc. etc. on the media. I'm betting we'll hardly hear a squeek out of them concerning Chafee and his mirror situation, at least not in the context of the GOP going "too far right" or that they are "not united." No, they will make it sound like the GOP is "standing up for its values" if it cuts the strings with Chafee. :eyes: