Democrats Recruiting Challengers for Growing Congressional Target List

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Democrats Recruiting Challengers for Growing Target List
By Chris Cillizza And Shailagh Murray
Sunday, April 22, 2007; Page A02

When Rep. Sam Graves (R) won Missouri's 6th District in 2000 with 51 percent, it was assumed that he would be a regular Democratic target. His subsequent reelection percentages -- 63 percent in 2002, 64 in 2004, 62 in 2006 -- show how quickly Graves fell off Democrats' radar.

No more.

Democrats believe they have convinced the outgoing mayor of Kansas City, Mo., Kay Barnes, to challenge Graves in 2008, in one of a handful of early recruiting successes that, national party strategists argue, will allow them to greatly expand the playing field of competitive races that November.

That strategy paid major dividends for Democrats in 2006 as they upset previously safe incumbents in Kansas, California and Arizona, and came mighty close in the GOP strongholds of Idaho and Wyoming. Democrats hope to repeat that game plan in 2008, aided by the continued dismal national political environment for Republicans.

Other opportunities to expand the playing field include West Virginia's 2nd District, where state Sen. John Unger (D) is likely to challenge Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R); Michigan's 9th District, where Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R) could face former state senator Gary Peters; and Ohio's 16th, where state Sen. John Boccieri (D) is seriously considering a bid against Rep. Ralph Regula (R)....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/21/AR2007042100998.html?hpid=sec-politics

[Hekate]

1. Off to the Greatest with a nod to Dr Dean's 50-state strategy. nt

[loudsue]

2. This shows Dean's genius at work, yet again. But if they don't look at the voting machines

and make sure that paper ballots are used in the next election in every state, Rove will make sure that the republicans take back at least one house of congress, so that the criminals in his party don't face jail time .... Rove himself, included.

Rove stole at least 20 seats from the Dems in the last election -- such was the disenchantment with the republican party...one of those that slipped through his fingers was the very close race in Virginia, where Senator Webb pulled out a victory, thanks to changes in the election procedures that put rove at a disadvantage when it came to cheating. But Rove's not going to fall short next time, and it is ONLY if we can change the election procedures in more & more states that we can avoid having more seats stolen.

:kick::kick::kick:

[pat_k]

3. That's the ticket. A powerful Dem running for every office.

And Republicans aren't the only ones we must take on. We need to recruit powerful Democratic candidates who know the meaning of an oath to challenge impotent Democratic incumbents in primaries.

[Hippo_Tron]

4. In the Senate maybe, in the House we can pretty much do anything

Especially if we expand our majority. If there are enough seats, we should be able to get 218 votes for anything that Speaker Pelosi wants.

The Senate is a different ballgame because of cloture.

[tom_paine]

5. Hooray for Dr. Dean and the 50 State Strategy!