Need to take the Senate in 2012

[Cathy Mitchell]

Having just heard that the Senate again tabled a bill that was passed in the House, it is apparent that in order to get sane legislation passed, Republicans need to keep control of the House in 2012, and get a majority in the Senate. The current tally is 47 Republicans, 51 Democrats and 2 Independents who caucus with the Dems. Unfortunately, Colorado can't help the odds in 2012, but of the 33 seats up for re-election, 23 are Democrat/Independent either retiring or up for re-election but only 10 Republican seats at risk. Wonder who among the Democrat/Independent seats are most vulnerable?

 

 

• 4 Overview of races (33 seats)
  • 4.1 Democrats/Independents retiring (6 seats)
    • 4.1.1 Joe Lieberman of Connecticut
    • 4.1.2 Daniel Akaka of Hawaii
    • 4.1.3 Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico
    • 4.1.4 Kent Conrad of North Dakota
    • 4.1.5 Jim Webb of Virginia
    • 4.1.6 Herb Kohl of Wisconsin
  • 4.2 Democrats/Independents seeking re-election (17 seats)
    • 4.2.1 Dianne Feinstein of California
    • 4.2.2 Tom Carper of Delaware
    • 4.2.3 Bill Nelson of Florida
    • 4.2.4 Ben Cardin of Maryland
    • 4.2.5 Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
    • 4.2.6 Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
    • 4.2.7 Claire McCaskill of Missouri
    • 4.2.8 Jon Tester of Montana
    • 4.2.9 Ben Nelson of Nebraska
    • 4.2.10 Bob Menendez of New Jersey
    • 4.2.11 Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
    • 4.2.12 Sherrod Brown of Ohio
    • 4.2.13 Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
    • 4.2.14 Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
    • 4.2.15 Bernie Sanders of Vermont
    • 4.2.16 Maria Cantwell of Washington
    • 4.2.17 Joe Manchin of West Virginia
  • 4.3 Republicans retiring (2 seats)
    • 4.3.1 Jon Kyl of Arizona
    • 4.3.2 Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas
  • 4.4 Republicans seeking re-election (8 seats)
    • 4.4.1 Richard Lugar of Indiana
    • 4.4.2 Olympia Snowe of Maine
    • 4.4.3 Scott Brown of Massachusetts
    • 4.4.4 Roger Wicker of Mississippi
    • 4.4.5 Dean Heller of Nevada
    • 4.4.6 Bob Corker of Tennessee
    • 4.4.7 Orrin Hatch of Utah
    • 4.4.8 John Barrasso of Wyoming

[W. Branstetter]

Here is a page that summarizes where those races may stand: 

 

http://cookpolitical.com/charts/senate/raceratings.php

 

refer also to:

 

Cook Political Report

http://cookpolitical.com/

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) was successful in his campaign in the primary season in Utah that was really the first victory in the 2010 campaign and the grassroots groups are working towards a repeat to remove the "squishy" Senator Hatch.  That effort does have Senator Hatch behaving slightly more conservative lately but the drive may still be on to retire the senator.

There is a major push in Missouri to have Senator McCaskill retired in favor of an "R."  In fact, MO, NE, MT, VA, NM, PA, MI, OH, and FL may be the most likely targets from what I have heard.  It might be worthwhile to find out how to be supportive of the campaigns in the closest states (NM, UT, WY, MT; even MO and TX).

The current recall elections for state offices in Wisconsin are super important as well and those are in the next week or two.  These people are instrumental in keeping the conservative drive alive in that state and may influence that U.S. senator campaign.