If a congressman/woman, (D) or (R) has to leave office early, is it fair

[cboy4]

the governor from the state they represent can choose a replacement from the party of the governor's choice? -OR-

Should the governor be required to choose a replacement from the same party of the lawmaker who has left?

**I'm not trying to be disrespectful concerning the senator's health.....I just throw this out because so many people are speculating/debating about what might happen if he can no longer serve.

BTW, his physicians should really examine him for traces of Polonium-210....if you know what I mean.

[Ninga]

1. Oh boy, hate to say this but your question is sophomoric. In love and war all is "fair."

[cboy4]

10. Are you so intellectually challenged that you're incapable

of composing (at the very least) one simple sentence explaining an answer to my question, or is the best you can do is resort to name calling?

All I'm trying to do is field opinions as to why a governor should have the right to replace a (D) with an (R).

I don't feel it's a sophomoric question at all.

And please....all is certainly NOT fair in love and war.

You're really a piece of work, aren't you?

[Ninga]

18. I apologize. History is replete with example after example of a lack of fair play

in politics.

I am a piece of work that has been involved in politics for over 40 years, I am certainly old, but take issue with your characterization of "intellectually challenged."
I have worked very hard on campaigns for good, upstanding candidates who lost badly, in part, from not getting support from their own party. I have example after example of politics not being fair, and many times.....ever fair.....thur it all depends who is on the winning side and until the laws and rules change, unfortunatley all IS fair.



It makes little to no sense to me to ask a question that were it on the other foot (so to speak) what would you expect a Dem governor to do if he were in the same position?

Then what about gerrymandering??? The party in power gets to decide how the districts are drawn? Is that fair?

It just gets sticker and sticker.

I am terribly sorry I made you so angry. Your question just seemed out of left field.

[cboy4]

25. Alright, I pulled this rhetorical question from your reply:

It makes little to no sense to me to ask a question that were it on the other foot (so to speak) what would you expect a Dem governor to do if he were in the same position?

Well you're assuming that if a Republican had to leave office, I would be raising hell if the Democratic governor chose a Republican replacement, (instead of a Democrat which he or she would have been free to do.)

I just happen to believe if a lawmaker leaves office early, his or her replacement should be from the same party....especially if the person who has to leave was elected fair and square.

If a Republican leaves early.....would I want a Democratic governor to choose a Democrat? OF COURSE!!

But that's not the right thing to do. It's unfair.

That's my belief, and I am only trying to figure out whether other DUers believe the same thing!

Hopefully that clears things up for you.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Special election only...

...put the choice back to the people.:thumbsup:

[trotsky]

15. I agree.

Many, many people in this country vote for the person rather than the party. It is not fair for the governor to appoint someone of either his or the senator's/rep's party only - it should be the choice of the voters. The Senate and the House can easily continue operations one (or even a few) members short.

[Red Zelda]

3. Governor should be limited to the party of the fallen congressman

That's the only fair system. But since when is anything fair in this shithole country??

[goddess40]

12. I think that the party should offer 2 or 3 choices and the Gov should pick

It would be cheaper then a special election and serve the voters will too.

[rpannier]

4. A few weeks ago there was a lot of hypothesizing about the health of Sen Thomas WY

People here seemed to have no problem with the Democratic Governor of Wyoming choosing a Democratic Senator to replace Sen Thomas in the Senate.
I hope Sen Johnson recovers and does so quickly.
But, I also realize that he could be forced to resign and the governor of South Dakota would then choose his replacement.

I would prefer they put it to a vote.
But, I'm also enough of a realist to realize it's not an overnight process to get a special election together and someone has to fill that seat.

[zanne]

5. Historically, don't governors pick someone...

I remember this coming up about ten years ago, but I'm afraid I wasn't as attentive to politics then. I think at the time there was an argument about whether a governor should, in good conscience, pick someone from his own party as opposed to the fallen senator's party. They were saying then that historically, the governor bows to the wishes of the electorate and picks from the fallen senator's party. Anybody remember this?

[rpannier]

14. I found this tidbit

In the case of the late Senator Paul Wellstone, Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura appointed the Independence Party's Dean Barkley to temporarily fill the seat.

Zell Miller (D-Yeah right!) was chosen to replace Paul Coverdale (republikkan)

Dan Evans (R) was selected by the Gov Spellman (R) to replace Henry 'Scoop" Jackson (D) in the US Senate. Interestingly, Evans was far more liberal than 'Scoop' ever was

[melm00se]

6. it depends (and need some clarification)

for the Senate, the "normal" approach (but by no means universal..individual state law dictates this), the governor appoints some to carry out the term. This harkens back to to pre-17th amendment when Senators were appointed by the states rather than popularly elected.

For a House representitive, the Constitution requires that the replacement be elected by an election held in that district.

as to the Senate? the power lies, by statute in most states, in the hands of the governor and he may do as he so pleases (but most of the time he elevates a sitting House member from his own state)

[William769]

7. Politics is politics.

If people in a State don't want the Governor to be able to pick who ever he wants, there is a simple solution. People seem NOT to grasp this concept though.

[SoCalDem]

23. yep it's back to the old 'elections have consequences' meme

People think that "divided" government is a good thing, but when a blue state "hires" a republican governor or vice versa, they are playing with fire..

Wouldn't it be interesting if we gave each state THREE senators..

1 dem
1 repube
1 "other"
and at least one had to be a woman :)

I could get behind that idea :)

[cboy4]

8. never mind

I goofed up

[SheilaT]

9. Here in Kansas it is

remarkably common for Republican state senators or representatives to resign before completing their term. In that case, by state law, precinct committee chairs of meet to select the replacement. Which means the replacement, who did not run the first time around, gets to run as an incumbent for re-election at the next election. Whether or not it's fair isn't the issue. It is unethical.

And all this talk about he's been poisoned or some such is beyond silly. It's exactly the kind of thing that makes DU look like nutcases. Sometimes middle-aged men have strokes or aneurysms or heart attacks or whatever.

[rock]

11. Assuming you mean what is right and fair

It should be the same party. Of course as the law is written the governor can choose as he pleases and take the political hit.

[aikoaiko]

13. Its fair, because the people of the state have a say in the rules. nt

[EdwardM]

16. Governor should be able to pick who he wants.

I don't want to force the governor to pick from a particular party, because that gives the two parties even more power then they already have. But I believe that the special appointment should be very short term, as I believe there should be a special election within 3 months of the resignation.

[SmokingJacket]

17. Senator's chief aide should act on his/her behalf for a certain

amount of time, like three months or so, until another election can be held. I like that solution!

[hogwyld]

19. Governor should be forced

To appoint only a Dem replacement.

[LynneSin]

20. You know, I'd vote for #2 except from time to time this has favored us

After Senator John Heinz's death, he was replaced by a democrat.

[MonkeyFunk]

21. Ugh

First off, you should say "Senator", not "Congressman". While both Representatives and Senators are Congressmen, Representatives are ALWAYS replaced by a special election.

Senators are always replaced by appointment, and some states impose restrictions on how that is done. South Dakota isn't one of them.


And your reference to polonium-210 seems to violate Skinner's rule posted today.

[SoCalDem]

22. They "should" be required to

hold a new election (if there is more than 6 months left to the term)

[LSK]

24. this just goes to show how important state elections are

They can have national impact.