He’s probably less popular at home than Harry Reid but Mitch McConnell doesn’t need to worry about getting reelected until the 2014 midterms. He’ll actually benefit, I think, if the Senate Republicans lay an egg and fail to pick up seats in the Senate this fall. That’s because he almost certainly will not survive as Minority Leader if the Republicans have another bad election night. And, if he’s not the Minority Leader in the two years leading up to his reelection, he will be free to vote however he wants and to keep a low profile. Of course, most pols who lose the top leadership position decide to retire, but McConnell has nothing else to do, so I doubt he would.
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BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
I suppose it’s as good as a time as ever to post my thoughts on the Senate’s prospects:
GOP safe pick ups/holds:
North Dakota
Arkansas
Arizona
Alaska
Iowa
GOP leaning pick ups/holds:
Delaware
Indiana (just a bad election cycle, Ellsworth >>>> Coats as a candidate/politician)
New Hampshire
Toss-up/Lean-GOP:
Colorado
North Carolina
Toss-up/Lean-Democratic:
Ohio
Missouri
Kentucky
Pure Toss up:
Pennsylvania
Democratic leaning pick ups/holds:
Nevada
Florida (assuming Crist caucuses with Dems)
Illinois
Washington
Democratic safe pick ups/holds:
California
Those are all of the important ones, aye? Lemme know if I missed any important ones (no, Feingold is not in trouble).
why so pessimistic about Paul Hodes?
Hodes hasn’t been generating any enthusiasm up for some reason; if he starts to pickup the pace and continues railing Ayotte, he can make it a race, but right now it’s the Republicans’ to lose.
Sadly, as this is one race where I’m not sure how accurate the polls are.
I’m very curious about this, but my guess is he’s just doing his job as rep waiting for the primary to determine the repub candidate. no point getting into something with Ayotte if she doesn’t run (and she’s now in trouble). NH voters scrutinize their candidates. so Hodes doesn’t need to get into it now. – just my guess.
If McConnell gets tossed out of leadership, he won’t hang around until 2014. He’ll move to K Street, or wingnut welfare.
Maybe. You could be right.