"For GOP, Election Anxiety Mounts; Candidates Need Convincing for '06"

[dajoki]

WP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/09/AR2005100901332.html?referrer=email

For GOP, Election Anxiety Mounts
Candidates Need Convincing for '06

By Charles Babington and Chris Cillizza
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, October 10, 2005

Republican politicians in multiple states have recently decided not to run for Senate next year, stirring anxiety among Washington operatives about the effectiveness of the party's recruiting efforts and whether this signals a broader decline in GOP congressional prospects.

Prominent Republicans have passed up races in North Dakota and West Virginia, both GOP-leaning states with potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Earlier, Republican recruiters on Capitol Hill and at the White House failed to lure their first choices to run in Florida, Michigan and Ver

These setbacks have prompted grumbling. Some Republican operatives, including some who work closely with the White House, privately point to what they regard as a lackluster performance by Sen. Elizabeth Dole (N.C.) as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the group that heads fundraising and candidate recruitment for GOP senators.

But some strategists more sympathetic to Dole point the finger right back. With an unpopular war in Iraq, ethical controversies shadowing top Republicans in the House and Senate, and President Bush suffering the lowest approval ratings of his presidency, the waters look less inviting to politicians deciding whether to plunge into an election bid. Additionally, some Capitol Hill operatives complain that preoccupied senior White House officials have been less engaged in candidate recruitment than they were for the 2002 and 2004 elections. These sources would speak only on background because of the sensitivity of partisan strategies

[La Lioness Priyanka]

1. joy!

[cassiepriam]

2. The rats are biting each other as they jump ship.

Stay tuned. May get more and more interesting.

[dajoki]

5. they eat their own

[Neil Lisst]

3. They'd better be worried, cuz we're coming to kick their asses

I feel better about this congressional election than any since 1996.

[NMDemDist2]

4. thank Chuck Schumer and the grass roots Dems who send $$$ to his

committee. and Rahm Emanuel in the House

Schumer is able to give the vunerable Dems a good warchest early which scares off GOP candidates.

support the Committees (House and Senate) so we can field qualified candiates in open or vunerable districts and make sure our Dem seats are well defended

http://www.dccc.org/

http://www.dscc.org/

[niceypoo]

6. Hopefully the democrats wont let the GOP set their agenda

No matter what the dems do the gop will attack it savagely. Its time to say "A vote for the dems is a vote for change".

[dajoki]

7. it's time people realize we need change!!

[Miss Chybil]

8. They're ashamed and they should be. Bastards. And, they know

they can't win.

[dajoki]

9. unless they cheat