#Dem exodus in Congress
5321 Dead, 454 since 1/20/09
election-obama
Democrats face midterm elections exodus
Democratic senator and governor say they will not seek re-election, and
two more set to follow, amid fears of backlash
* Ewen MacAskill in Washington
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 6 January 2010 14.02 GMT
Byron Dorgan
The North Dakota senator Byron Dorgan said he would not be standing for
re-election in November. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The potential election blow facing Barack Obama and the Democratic party
was brought into focus today by a sudden string of announcements from
senators and governors that they will not be seeking new terms in
November.
The decisions reflect Democratic fears that political fortunes are
changing and the party faces a public backlash, encouraging a Republican
revival.
Democratic senator Byron Dorgan disclosed last night that he would not be
standing in November, and his colleague Chris Dodd is expected to make a
similar announcement today. A Democratic governor also said yesterday he
would not seek a new term, and another is expected to follow suit today.
All 435 House of Representative seats are up for election in November,
and one-third of the 100-member Senate. The Democrats have 258 seats in
the House and already anticipate losses of 20 to 30. Thirty-nine
governorships are to be contested.
The loss of the 60-seat majority in the Senate would make it difficult
for Obama to put through legislation in the remainder of his term. The 60
seats allowed the Democrats to override any Republican blocking tactics.
Even with that majority, Obama has struggled to get his healthcare reform
bill passed. Two of the 60 include independents who have sought major
changes to the bill in return for their support. The bill is on course
finally to pass this month.
Dodd, 65, the Democratic senator for Connecticut, was among the party's
early presidential election hopefuls in 2008 but his run failed to gain
any momentum. He has been in the Senate for 35 years and is chairman of
the Senate banking committee.
He is standing down in part because of internal political challenges in
Connecticut and poor poll figures. One bright spot for the Democrats is
that his standing down allows them time to try to find a candidate who
might have more appeal in the state.
Dorgan, the senator from North Dakota, insisted he was not standing down
because of fears he would not win in November, but because he wanted to
pursue other interests.
Ominously for the Democrats, the apparent revival in Republican support
comes at a time when that party is still in disarray, torn about whether
to shift to the right or centre. No obvious contender to take on Obama in
the next presidential election, in 2012, has yet emerged.
The Republican party chairman, Michael Steele, responding to Dorgan's
decision but before news about Dodd broke, said: "Today's announcement …
highlights just how vulnerable both Senate and House Democrats have
become since deciding to walk in lockstep with President Obama's
government-run policies."
Billary/2009
wrote:
The backlash is already started. Chris "where's my loan" Dodd is only
the beginning. People wanted change. but not this! And Dodd will get
his nice fat retirement with health benefits. A lobbying job and
forgiveness of his home loan. Yet I don't see YOU commenting on that.
You're such a shill Zippy.
edi...@netpath.net
conservative senator prayed aloud that God would stop Obamacare by
just one of his very-old liberal colleagues having a big heart
attack. (He seemed to have Byrd in mind.) Just one of these guys
having a big heart attack six hours before final Obamacare vote would
save the American middle class.
http://www.Internet-Gun-Show.com - your source for hard-to-find stuff!
5321 Dead, 454 since 1/20/09
I've commented on the revolving door relationship between Congress and
PACs for years now. If you allow corporations to select, buy, and sell
your legislators, expect to have corporate whores as legislators.
Lefty
Dodd's seat should be safe. It might be a good seat for Ned Lamont.
Dorgan's not so much. But who with a brain in their head thinks the
Republican Party is going to skate to victory this year? If they're
counting on hatred of Democrats to drive them to victory they may as
well hang it up now because people have nothing good to say about
Republicans. Even Michael Steele thinks they won't win this year.
Lefty
> Remember also that a lot of these guys are damn old - and that a
> conservative senator prayed aloud that God would stop Obamacare by
> just one of his very-old liberal colleagues having a big heart
> attack. (He seemed to have Byrd in mind.) Just one of these guys
> having a big heart attack six hours before final Obamacare vote would
> save the American middle class.
>
They wonder why we call people like you pigs.
Buerste
"Lefty" <gn79...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:1qidnX1ha8dYLdnW...@giganews.com...
I read hundreds of "DIE Rush, DIE!" posts. What do you think we call
libtards? ...OOOPS
Lefty
You've never read one from me. They're pigs too.