TX-17: Another GOP failure (Daily Kos on Chet Edwards)

[sonias]

Kos today 3/20/08
In the Hill this week I write:

Without their traditional massive cash advantages to blunt the impact, Republicans now must face the voters on their merits — and the electorate isn’t buying. Democrats continue to notch double-digit advantages in most generic congressional ballot match-ups, while the "enthusiasm gap" between Democratic and Republican partisans is in full display this primary season. In contest after contest, Democrats turned out in numbers far exceeding their Republican counterparts, sometimes even doubling the GOP totals.

Meanwhile, the utter failure of standard Republican attack lines in the Ill.-14 special election means that the party’s quivers are essentially empty. Charging Democrats with "surrender" on Iraq? Voters want out, no matter what you call it. Scapegoating immigrants? Big flop. Claiming Democrats want to raise taxes? Yawn.

Only 19 percent of Americans are "satisfied ... with the way things are going in the United States at this time." A healthy 80 percent aren’t so delusional — and they’re hungry for a change from the Bush recession and failure in Iraq.

It’s no wonder, then, that Republicans have suffered a record 26 retirements. And it’s not surprising that supposedly endangered freshman Democrats in Republican districts like Ohio’s Zack Space, Indiana’s Joe Donnelly and North Carolina’s Heath Shuler all failed to draw credible GOP opponents.

Add Chet Edwards to that list.

:woohoo:

TX-GOP failure - I like the sound of that!

Sonia

[cosmik debris]

1. I don't know why the Republicans even bother to run against him

He is just barely a Democrat.

According to the National Journal:

Conservative rating:

Edwards, Chet, D-Texas-17
51 On Economic Issues
45 On Social Issues
42 On Foreign Policy Issues
46.3 Composite Conservative Rating

Liberal Rating:

Edwards, Chet, D-Texas-17
48 On Economic issues
55 On Social Issues
57 On Foreign Policy Issues
53.7 Composite Liberal Rating

The American Conservative Union gave him a 68 rating in 2006

He voted for(and still supports) the war in Iraq.

He voted for the MBNA Bankruptcy Bill.

He voted for the Pfizer Medicare Reform Bill.

He has a near perfect record in support of the military-industrial complex.

Only his support of organized labor separates him from the true Republicans. It is clear that the Republicans don't have a lot to gain running against Chet. I'm sure that the cost-benefit analysis has a lot to do with their decision not to pump money into this race.