WP: Dems -- Not enough candidates to take back control of the House

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Democrats Face Uphill Battle to Retake House

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 13, 2006; Page A01

An 18-month recruitment drive by the Democrats has produced nearly a dozen strong candidates with the potential for unseating House Republicans, but probably not enough to take back control of the House absent a massive anti-incumbent wave this fall, according to House political experts.

Democratic leaders have been heartened by the quality of the candidates they have recruited to challenge vulnerable Republicans in congressional seats in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and they insist that there is a strong chance they can narrow the Republicans' 30-seat majority. Their efforts are being helped by widespread public dissatisfaction with Congress and with President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, a situation that has driven down the Republicans' approval ratings to less than 40 percent.

But Tuesday's special election north of San Diego to fill the seat of former congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) showed that the Democrats face an uphill battle to pick up seats even in districts where the Republicans have their backs to the wall. Democrat Francine Busby, running on a theme of ethics in government, finished first in a crowded field of 18 candidates to succeed Cunningham, who was sent to prison after pleading guilty to taking bribes in return for legislative favors.

Busby, a school board member and self-described soccer mom, garnered only 44 percent of the vote and was forced into a June 6 runoff, possibly with former Republican congressman Brian P. Bilbray, who finished second with 15 percent. State GOP leaders expect Republicans to coalesce around the eventual nominee in the runoff and retain the seat.
snip

[goclark]

1. Is this reality, if so, we are in for more of the same...right :(

[Kber]

2. Well - I AM predicting a massive anti incumbent wave this fall.

so there!

Talk about a great way to frame good news for the Dems in such terrible terms.

"The dems have great candidates, but not enough of them to take back the house 'cause we are all so very happy with how things are going. And Francine, who came in first in her special election, only did so by 30 points or so, so no big deal really."

[Newsjock]

3. Jesus Christ on the trailer hitch already

"Only 44 percent" of the vote in an 18-candidate field!?

"State GOP leaders expect" the GOP to win!?

44% of the vote in a district where Republican registrations vastly outnumber Democratic -- that's an "uphill battle"!?

And this is on the front page of the Post? Not the editorial page?

Gosh, I wonder where Jonathan Weisman's allegiances are. Thanks for putting me in a foul mood already today.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. sorry.

[KoKo]

10. It's the WaPo....need we say more......

:eyes:

[flyarm]

11. well thats part of the game..they have to keep telling you that...

in order to steal the election again...just ask us here in fla how the game is played..we can tell you...

media after media will tell you that the polls say..its close..so close..ahhh yes the close game..

"the polls say"...and they will say it over and over and over again...so the masses think it really is close...

so when they steal your votes..the masses ..including most dems..will not believe they stole the election..because it was so damn close!

its how the media, and media pollsters .. help the steal...


calf ..stop this somehow..please..you are next on their radar!!

fly from fla

[gratuitous]

4. What a load of hoo-ha

This story came right out of the RNC, Whistling-Past-The-Graveyard Division. CA-50 has been a solidly Republican district for years, returning the corrupt Randy Cunningham to Congress in election after election. In the vacuum that followed Cunningham's sudden ouster, no fewer than 18 candidates ran in an open vote, and Francine Busby got, according to the story, "only" 44%. Uhm, out of 18 candidates, that's nearly a mandate. Considering the next highest total got a whopping 15%, Busby would have to be favored heavily for the June 6 runoff.

I hope Weisman is well compensated for his stenography.

[quiet.american]

5. What a psy-ops title-discourage Dem voters early on, decrease turnout. n/t

[Justice Is Comin]

7. I think they have this story backwards.

I had read earlier that if she comes out with 45%, it was a "tectonic shift" in voter thinking, and sign of a major earthquake in November.

Also, Marcy Winograd is giving the Jane Harmon campaign major stomach ulcers out there. She said Harmon couldn't even get the endorsement of the Democratic Committee out there when they had their meeting, which is unheard of. She didn't get the needed votes.

I heard Marcy on the Guy James show and she was VERY impressive. She thinks she has a good chance to knock Harmon off. And boy would I love that too !!

[rocktivity]

8. BORG JOURNALISM (Resistance to the GOP is futile)

:puffpiece:
rocknation

[Ramsey]

9. That's a pretty skewed POV

I think the fact that Busby garnered 44% of the vote in a die-hard Republican district and among a field of 18 candidates is FANTASTIC!

I think the fact that Dems have candidates in something like 95% of races, regardless of the make up of the district, is great.

I think there is the potential for a strong anti-incumbent wave this fall at the ballot box.

The thing I am most worried about is poor turn out among Dems. That was mentioned as a factor in Busby's race, but it's hard to know. If Dem voters are apathetic or uninspired, then we may not be able to take advantage of the utter dissatisfaction with Bush and his rubber stamp Congress. It seems hard to believe that people won't be stampeding their polls to kick these bums out, given how abysmal their stewardship of the country had been.

[mod mom]

12. Getting the public ready to for another fraudulent election. The media

plays the role of lowering expectations so when Blackwell and other SOS's do their dirty tricks it is not so surprising.

[madokie]

13. House political experts= repukes, I would venture to say

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. That must be so encouraging for them SD repubs.

The frontrunning Dem got 44%, and the frontrunning Repub got 15%.

:rofl: