Futures of losing house candidates

[Jake]

Don Sherwood (PA-10) has already announced he is done with politics. I don't expect that to change.

Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (TX-22) is a possible candidate for the seat in 2008, when a Republican should be favored.

Curt Weldon (PA-07) has no chance of returning to Congress. He's almost certainly done, though I wouldn't be surprised if he became involved in a foreign policy think tank.

Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) could very well run again in 2008. Murphy's margin was small enough that Fitzpatrick could win.

Melissa Hart (PA-04) could also return to office in 2008. She was touted as a possible Senate or Gubernatorial candidate before her defeat. That may still be possible.

[Jake]

I noticed that. Do you think most voters simply didn't connect that they had the chance to vote for her again?

[Jake]

I don't see him overcoming a 12 point whipping in a Democratic year, even giving him those advantages. Face it, King's pretty much going to hold the seat until retirement, or until the NY Assembly finds a way to redistrict him out of it.

[Jake]

But surely Northup is tainted by the stigma of defeat?  Don't you have a theory she wants to challenge Ernie Fletcher in the 2007 GOP gubernatorial primary? 

Northrup lost once. She's no more tainted than Chandler, who lost in 2003. It's not like a scandal sunk her, she just lost because her district favored Democrats and it was a Democratic year.