Arkansas Senate: Boozman (R) 65%, Lincoln (D) 27%

[napi21]

Boy Blanche! How do ya think all that opposition to the Dem ideas is workin for ya now? O hate to see the seat go to the Pubs, but I'll be clapping to see this b*tch gone!

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/arkansas/election_2010_arkansas_senate

[county worker]

1. It won't make much difference if she loses.

[msongs]

2. Obama's pet is tanking big time lol nt

[TheWraith]

13. Do you come here to do ANYTHING other than throw shit at Obama? nt

[indepat]

3. Riddance not only good, but oh so sweet

;)

[gratuitous]

4. Years ago

Miami was pretty much acknowledged as the best college team in the nation. Nebraska and Colorado were duking it out to see who would play Miami for the national championship. Colorado beat Nebraska, but Nebraska was picked to play Miami for all the marbles. Colorado was livid, because it had to settle for playing Oregon. Oregon thumped Colorado in a not-as-close-as-it-sounds 38-16 drubbing, which quieted the Colorado fans. Meanwhile, Nebraska got its corn husked by Miami, and Oregon fans opined that while the Ducks might not have beaten Miami, they sure as hell wouldn't have gotten beaten as badly as Nebraska did.

Similarly, calculations were made amongst the cognoscenti in the Democratic party to support Blanche Lincoln's re-election bid for the Senate in Arkansas. Even though her challenger Bill Halter received a lot of support from the Democratic wing of the party, the party leaders backed Lincoln. I don't know if Halter could have beaten Boozman in the general election, but he sure as hell wouldn't be no 38 points behind in the polls.

[WCGreen]

5. I see your point...

When people are offered the real thing and a cheap imitation, most will go for the real thing.

That's why the people of Arkansas are backing the republican.

Why would they back a democrat acting like a republican when they can have the real deal...

[Hawkeye-X]

9. Colorado had no motivation that year and Nebraska sucks

and still does (sorry Lisa S).

The year later, I think, Colorado was awarded national co-champs.. when it should have that award alone. (1990, if I remember the year right)

[smoochpooch]

42. Colorado didn't deserve to be co-champs. Have you forgotten the magic "5th down"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Down_Game_(1990)

I haven't. Go Mizzou!

[Tatiana]

47. At least Halter would have given real Dems motivation to come out and vote.

I honestly think Lincoln is so far behind because the real conservatives have the authentic candidate to vote for, while the real Dems/moderates/progressives clearly don't have a dog in this fight.

Good riddance to Blanche. Like the Teapers, all she did was drag the Dem caucus in the Senate further right.

[Warpy]

6. That's what happens when you play dirty during a primary

Closing voting places in Halter strongholds might have gotten her the nomination but it sure as hell won't keep her in office.

Good riddance.

[Art_from_Ark]

14. Yeah, we're getting rid of Blanche

and replacing her with Orrin Hatch.

What an "improvement" :eyes:

[Warpy]

15. Maybe after 6 years of his petulance, idiocy, hostility and cluelessness

you'll get rid of him in favor of a Democrat.

Hope springs eternal.

Once Lincoln was cheated into the nomination, though, it was all over.

[Art_from_Ark]

21. Here's the problem-- the "Huckabee effect"

In 1996, Democratic governor Jim Guy Tucker was forced from office as a result of Ken Starr's witch hunt in Arkansas. He was replaced with then-lieutenant governor Mike Huckabee (one of the very few times in Arkansas when there was a Democratic governor and Republican lieutenant governor, and likely one of the reasons why Tucker was targeted by Starr). If you looked at Huckabee's background, you'd think that the guy couldn't possibly be elected governor-- but after serving out the remainder of Tucker's term, he won two four-year terms on his own.

Also in 1996, Arkansas elected Tim Hutchinson to the US Senate, its first Republican US Senator since the Reconstruction era. Hutchinson hails from the same county as the current Republican challenger (a county which, incidentally, voted for Shrub twice by a 60-40 majority, and for McCain-Palin by about the same margin). Hutchinson ended up being a one-term Senator, in large part because he helped lead the impeachment charge against fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton, and because he was pointing the finger at Clinton while he had his own marital problems. Also working against Hutchinson was the fact that his next opponent was the son of a popular former Senator. However, Boozman may well have learned from Hutchinson's mistakes. Unless Boozman REALLY messes up, I can see him serving several terms in the Senate if he is elected this time.

[Warpy]

30. You could be right, but what little reading I've done on Boozman

makes me think he's going to be as much of a grandstander and blowhard as Hutchinson was.

[Art_from_Ark]

31. But Hutchinson wasn't defeated because he was a blowhard

He was defeated because he helped lead the bogus impeachment circus against a popular President and fellow Arkansan, while covering up his own skeletons. He also ran against the son of a very popular former Senator in his second election.

[LiberalAndProud]

52. I'm bookmarking this.

"bogus impeachment circus"

If the Cons win a majority in the house, it's possible that history will be repeated. If that happens, I will likely disengage. I'll pop the popcorn, grab a beer and watch the comedy unfold. If the can't represent us, they should at least entertain us.

[AmericanMan1958]

7. Will they never learn???

This has happen so many time to Dem's leaning right.

That is why the Tea party is doing a hostile take over of the GOP
They are going to be the one doing the killing.

Now we need to stop these ship jumping Repubs from trying to jump over to our side..
Just like Lincoln, they can't be trusted.

[Hawkeye-X]

8. This is why you do not fuck with the primaries, Obama

Your gal is tanking, and Halter was a far better choice.

No thanks to the idiot that decided that Hot Springs should have all of two polls (out of 72, IIRC) open on primary day, causing major problems.

Hawkeye-X

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

10. But...but.....Rasmussen is Republican

I bet Blanche has more like 32%. :sarcasm:

[girl gone mad]

11. lol... who looks "fucking retarded" now, Rahm?

[indy legend]

37. Hope she's not expecting the unions to "flush millions of their members $ down the toilet"

[bluestateguy]

12. They could have gone with Bill Halter

and I better not say any more.

[GrantDem]

16. I bet Blanche wishes she could take back some words...

Bill Clinton Calls Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln's Opponent a Union Tool

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/05/28/bill-clinton-calls-arkansas-sen-blanche-lincolns-opponent-a-un/

Lincoln won with Clinton and anti-union message

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/06/09/lincoln_won_with_clinton_and_anti_union_message/

Sorry but... Fuck Blanche Lincoln!

[indy legend]

39. She doesn't care. She got her money from the people who bought her.

[PBS Poll-435]

17. 1. rASSmussen is garbage. 2. Not all political strategy works out

But at least that "b*tch" to use your words fucking tried.

[napi21]

18. I know rass polls are slanted right, but never THAT MUCH!

As to political strategy, IMO Blanche tried to be a REPUBICAN! I hate to lose the seat, but I'm glad she's losing!

[Raineyb]

51. Tried? Tried what to suck up to right wingers then expected progressives to back her again?

That's not something for which she ought to get credit for "trying." I would suggest she "try" acting like a Democrat rather than a Republican lite but she'll probably go into the lobbying field like the rest of the corporate whores.

Try? The only thing she's ever tried is people's patience.

[PBS Poll-435]

53. I am still going to campaign for her

:shrug:

[ShadowLiberal]

19. Much as I think Lincoln is screwed, I highly doubt she doesn't even get 30% of the vote

[PBS Poll-435]

20. She'll throw the Lambert name around

And I will be knocking on doors in western AR.

I am so fuckin' sick of ceding the South to the fuckin' Republicans.

[Art_from_Ark]

22. Good luck in western AR

That's the most Republican part of the state, especially as you head north into Sebastian, Crawford and Benton counties. Washington County's a little more Democratic because of Fayetteville and the University.

[PBS Poll-435]

23. Going to work from Texarkana to Hope

It may be futile, but I am not giving up without a fight.

[Art_from_Ark]

25. I'm not so familiar with that part of the state

Hope is, ironically, the hometown of both Clinton and Huckabee. I have no idea what their recent politics are down there, but I wish you the best of luck. I don't know how you will be able to "sell" Lincoln, but perhaps you can point out Boozman's bizarre stand on taxes. One of the other Arkansas DUers pointed it out to me, and I'll see if I can find the reference to it.

[PBS Poll-435]

26. I would feel terrible if I did nothing. Lincoln is more conservative that I would prefer

But I was a huge John Breaux fan and I appreciate how hard it is to win in "red" states as a Dem.

[Art_from_Ark]

29. Arkansas used to have some pretty good Senators

Joe Robinson was one of the biggest Southern backers of the New Deal. J. William Fulbright made a name for himself as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his fellow Senator, John McClellan, was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a pretty decent Senator himself http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Little_McClellan . Fulbright was replaced by Dale Bumpers, and McClellan was replaced by David Pryor, who were both dependably Democratic Senators. It has only been the last decade or so where Arkansas's Democratic Senators have lost their Democratic luster.

[Art_from_Ark]

32. I don't know if you already know about this site

but if you haven't seen it already, maybe there is something there that you can use in your canvassing

http://www.blancheforsenate.com/news/releases?id=0116

Also, it sounds to me like you may be from Louisiana? If you are from out of state, I would suggest, if someone asks you where you are from, that you mention whatever Arkansas connections you may have. While the northwest is somewhat cosmopolitan, I have been told that the southwest is a lot more "down home", so Arkansas connections might be more important down there.

[PBS Poll-435]

38. Work in the Texarkana (AR/TX) area, live in Dallas.

Built some very strong bonds there and we are going to give Boozman a challenge.

[Art_from_Ark]

41. It sounds like you could teach me a thing or two about that area

With the exception of a short trip to Murfreesboro, I really haven't spent any time in SW Ark, so I would be interested in hearing your assessment of it. I have spent a considerable amount of time in most of the rest of the state, and the NW is home, so I'm most familiar with that area.

At any rate, I really admire your determination. I know Blanche has left a bad taste in some people's mouths, but we really don't need another super gung-ho Republican in the Senate. I would rather field another primary challenger against Blanche in 6 years, than try to defeat an incumbent Boozman.

[DrSteveB]

24. How could it be a 38% lead when another poll today has her losing by 17%?

17% is a lot but 38% is more than twice that much. Obviously one of these two polls is wrong.

[PBS Poll-435]

27. Rasmussen?

:shrug:

[lonestarnot]

28. rugh ro. you gona git it now! IBTL

:spank: spankety :spank: spankety :spank:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

33. you want Republicans to win?

[Art_from_Ark]

34. Will you be clapping to see Orrin Hatch replace Lincoln?

Because essentially, that is what would happen if Lincoln loses.

[Toucano]

35. No net change.

She's a Republican.

[Art_from_Ark]

36. You don't know her opponent

As sinkingfeeling has pointed out in the Arkansas forum http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=140x1504, her opponent is about as dyed-in-the-wool Republican as you can get-- 96% party-line voting. Blanche doesn't even come close to that.

[KamaAina]

40. So the DLC crew worked overtime to defeat Halter for this?!

Sort of a mirror images of the repukes' Delaware debacle. :eyes:

[PBS Poll-435]

44. So now what?

We going to work on this or give up?

[Art_from_Ark]

45. Don't let them get you down

I'll admit I'm not the biggest Blanche supporter, but I'm quite familiar with NW Arkansas Republicans and all these people here who don't care if Blanche loses, none of whom appear to actually be from the state, really don't know how bad it can get.

[KamaAina]

46. It's not that I don't care if Blanche loses

it's that it appears to be a virtual certainty, disproving the myth that the more conservative Dem is always to most electable.

[Art_from_Ark]

48. I see where you're coming from

My comment, and the other poster's comment (I think), were not directed at you personally, but at the overall tone of this thread. The other poster is going to canvass for Lincoln, in what may be a tough neighborhood, and probably needs all the moral support he/she can get. As for Conservadems being electable, Arkansas had a really good decades-long tradition of electing top-notch Democrats to the Senate-- I really hate to see that thrown by the wayside. If Blanche had followed more in her predecessor's footsteps, I don't think she would be in this predicament.

[SoCalDem]

43. She was more or less doomed from the get-go

Like someone once said, why elect a democrat who acts like a republican, when you can get a real republican. She's always been a namby-pamby..

[BolivarianHero]

49. Smart decision....

If you have to choose between two Republians, you might as well choose the honest one.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

50. But if she had cast some liberal votes she might have lost...

by 40% instead of 38%