Sen. Ensign paints a grim picture for GOP in November

[LSK]

The Senate Republican campaign committee’s motto from early on in the 2008 cycle has been “Two Seats” — the net gain it needs in November to retake the majority.

But a resigned National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman John Ensign (Nev.) said this week that goal is a “very long stretch” at this point, and he conceded that recruitment failures and an unhelpful Senate GOP conference have hindered his efforts in what was already a perilous cycle.

A difficult week on the recruiting front has further prevented the committee from playing much offense in 2008, as wealthy candidates in New Jersey and South Dakota opted out and the window for recruiting top-tier candidates has apparently passed in most of the NRSC’s top-targeted states.

Ensign said about half of the Senate’s 49 GOP members are “not even close” to being on pace to raise the amount of money they are expected to for the committee and fellow candidates. The members are expected to raise between $750,000 and $3 million, depending on seniority and stature.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sen.-ensign-paints-a-grim-picture-for-gop-in-nov.-2008-03-13.html

:popcorn:

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I have a box of Kleenex, if any of you need one.

[Kurovski]

5. Yes, this is very exciting news!

:rofl:

[calimary]

2. I have this little teeny violin with which to play them a nice little "boo-hoo" song.

:nopity:

And I have a whole lotta happy dance for the rest of us!

:party: :woohoo: :headbang: :kick:

[LSK]

3. I love this line on page 2:

"He also suggested he won’t spend any of that money on GOP-held seats that appear to be lost.

The seat of retiring Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), in particular, looks to be a steep uphill battle for the party with former Gov. Mark Warner as the likely Democratic nominee."

Say it with me, Senator Mark Warner.

[calimary]

4. Gladly! Senator Mark Warner. Hardly even need to change the monogram, even!

:toast: :party: :headbang:

I think we should bookmark threads like this one - with people like this guy talking about their strategy - he's outlining things that HAVE worked in the past, in the fat years, and what is NOT working now, in the lean years. We need to know about BOTH. We need to know their thinking so we can combat them. That's how you stay two or three steps ahead.

This is WAR, folks. And we have to be able to solidify and build on our successes, in anticipation of the pendulum swinging back away from us.

[UTUSN]

6. Oh, he can relax. We Dems are in the process of destroying ourselves. n/t