Question for Republicans regarding SD situation

[nclib]

Hopefully this will all be moot.

[YRABNNRM]

A Democrat, obviously.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Since I was elected as Governor to perform the duty of appointing temporary replacements until a special election is held; and since the public, knowing that a Governor has such power vested to them by the state constitution, voted for me as Governor...I would appoint the person I felt would best serve the interest of my constituents.

I would NOT feel obligated to appoint a Dem since any replacement was NOT the people's choice during the last election.  The people's choice during the last election is dead.

If I could not find a member of the GOP I felt would best represent the interest of my constituents, then why the heck am I a member of the GOP?

[bullmoose88]

If Democrats have a nationwide riot over this, It will be justified.

No. It would not.

Partisan senate replacements have been the name of the game. Minnesota was an exception.

[J.G.H.]

Since I was elected as Governor to perform the duty of appointing temporary replacements until a special election is held; and since the public, knowing that a Governor has such power vested to them by the state constitution, voted for me as Governor...I would appoint the person I felt would best serve the interest of my constituents.

I would NOT feel obligated to appoint a Dem since any replacement was NOT the people's choice during the last election.  The people's choice during the last election is dead.

If I could not find a member of the GOP I felt would best represent the interest of my constituents, then why the heck am I a member of the GOP?

Agreed. The governor has the right to appoint as he sees fit. It's hardly thwarting the will of the people- the people didn't elect a 'Democrat' to Congress, they elected a person. I'm sure if Susan Collins were to die, Democrats would be clamoring for the governor to appoint a Republican. Right. If Clinton or Schumer were to be incapacitated tomorrow and Governor Pataki appointed... uh, John Spencer... in the closing days of his term as governor, it would 1)Be really funny to see the Dems go nuts over it, 2)Make Reps really happy, despite the circumstances, and 3)Be politics as usual. Get over it.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The will of the people was a Democratic Senate. Over the last 3 elections, the 49 Democrats (not counting Sanders or Lieberman) got 4.5% more votes than the 49 Republicans.

Winning 24 of the 33 Senate seats up in 1 year is a mandate.

[J. J.]

Heinz died, we got Wofford.  It's the Governor's call.

[bullmoose88]

The will of the people was a Democratic Senate. Over the last 3 elections, the 49 Democrats (not counting Sanders or Lieberman) got 4.5% more votes than the 49 Republicans.

Winning 24 of the 33 Senate seats up in 1 year is a mandate.

With all due respect Jfern...the national will of the people should not be a factor in a statewide decision, especially when the state wide will of the people was not expressed on the question.

Who knows how the people of South Dakota would have decided in a senate race in 2006. You might wish to extrapolate based on national results, but who knows in state like South Dakota.

They voted for Tim Johnson, narrowly in 2002. Hopefully they'll keep Tim Johnson...I'm not quite sure getting a Republican senate through this is a good thing for the GOP.

[Jake]

I'd rather have Johnson. Should this unlikely situation occur, Rounds is completely justified appointing a Republican if he so wishes.

[Colin]

A Democrat.

But really isn't this a mute issue since there has to be a special election 90-days afterwards or something of that sort?

[nini2287]

Rounds has every right to appoint a Republican; but I'd appoint a Democrat (or an independent to make it complicated)

[WalterMitty]

republican.

this a tragic situation.  but cmon guys.

none of these democrats raised hell when jim jeffords had his coup of one (only a few short months after the people of vermont elected him as a republican)

[TheresNoMoney]

Johnson is going to be fine, and then the Republicans will finally shut up for once.

[bullmoose88]

I'd appoint a Republican, as I'm sure Rounds would.

bigot

Yeah, yeah, don't act like you wouldn't appoint a Democrat in order to tip the balance.

If I were a Democratic Governor of MO, and a Republican Senator died, even if the balance of power was in play, id appoint a Republican to replace him/her/it.

Well thats admirable, but sadly not the way american politics works.

In my opinion, in a scenario such as this, it should just be an immediate special election.


But Johnson's gonna be okay. That's fantastic.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Lets make the Senate a non-partisian body then.

That would be nice, but nearly impossible.  Unless we erase the memories of voters and politicians, they will always remember the R/D divisions.

We would know the parties, but a non partisian senate would allow anyone to perside over debates, chair committees, etc.

Officially the Senate is non-partisan. Parties aren't mentioned anywhere in the Senate rules.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Appoint a Republican or Democrat under the condition that the committee chairs and leadership would be mixed.

[opebo]

He doesn't have to be 'OK', he just has to a) not die, and b) not resign.

[memphis]

A Democrat.

But really isn't this a mute issue since there has to be a special election 90-days afterwards or something of that sort?

No. There wouldn't be another election until 2008.

[Reignman]

republican.

this a tragic situation.  but cmon guys.

none of these democrats raised hell when jim jeffords had his coup of one (only a few short months after the people of vermont elected him as a republican)

He did that of his own free will though. This guy didn't choose to have a stroke.

[HardRCafé]

If Clinton or Schumer were to be incapacitated tomorrow and Governor Pataki appointed... uh, John Spencer... in the closing days of his term as governor, it would 1)Be really funny to see the Dems go nuts over it, 2)Make Reps really happy, despite the circumstances, and 3)Be politics as usual. Get over it.

"Get over it" is not an argument.

[Gabu]

republican.

this a tragic situation.  but cmon guys.

none of these democrats raised hell when jim jeffords had his coup of one (only a few short months after the people of vermont elected him as a republican)

He did that of his own free will though. This guy didn't choose to have a stroke.

Well, Walter does certainly have a point that there wasn't a huge amount of backlash against the Democrats when they regained the Senate in 2000 through means other than an election, which could certainly be taken to indicate that there might not be a huge amount of backlash against the Republicans if the same happened with them.

Of course, the situations were certainly different, in that there wasn't a hugely unpopular Democratic Senate in 2000 that had just been booted out in a large series of pickups for the opposing party.  As someone else said, it might even be a good thing for the Democrats in the long run to lose the Senate in such a manner, because then you'll have at least slight discontent from people in states not overly Republican-friendly mixed with the ability to point the finger once more at the Republicans in the Senate come 2008.

[Rococo4]

If Democrats have a nationwide riot over this, It will be justified.

Thankfully it will be moot it looks like.......

but back to Jeffords, Democrats were gleeful he switched, even the though the voters elected a Republican Senate.  They had no quarrels about it, saying stuff like it "well it will be nice to have divded govt." - thats how it was justified.

If Rounds gets to appoint someone, he should appoint a Republican.  Thats just how it works.

[Keystone Phil]

This is a very tough situation. I obviously would want a qualified candidate, capable of handling life in the Senate. I'd look for a conservative Democrat  but if I had serious questions about whether or not they are the qualified, I would turn to a Republican. I cannot stress enough, though, that I would try my hardest to find the best Democrat.

An argument I don't like though is that the Governor should be required to appoint someone of the same party as the Senator who vacated the seat. Originally, I thought it was an excellent idea (I thought of this because of the law in Wyoming that was brought up if Craig Thomas was unable to serve his term). While it is my hope that each Governor would respectfully appoint someone of that Senator's party, it should not be required by law. In this case, yes, the people elected a Democrat but that doesn't mean that they necessarily want just any Democrat. Plus, the people elected the Governor who they have entrusted with filling a vacancy.

Bottom line is that I wouldn't want to be in Rounds' shoes. It's a very tough situation.

By the way, I was listening to talk radio on my way into school yesterday and they were talking about Johnson. Glenn Beck stated that Johnson being elected was basically meaningless as to why a Dem should be appointed to replace him because he only won by about 500 votes and "because of a drought issue." I really hate some of these people.

[Keystone Phil]

republican.

this a tragic situation.  but cmon guys.

none of these democrats raised hell when jim jeffords had his coup of one (only a few short months after the people of vermont elected him as a republican)

I understand your point but that is a bit different. Jeffords shouldn't have been allowed to pull that though.

[Rob]

Option 3, obviously. But if Johnson is finished (and it doesn't look like he is), this is what Rounds should so: appoint Stephanie Herseth.

She's enormously popular across the state, winning by 40 points last month, and she's a moderate Democrat. She can stand for the seat in her own right when 2008 rolls around. Meanwhile, a special election is held for her House seat and the GOP likely picks it up (I don't know of any prominent Dem that can hold it).

Both sides win here- the Democrats keep the Senate, and the Republicans get a House seat that they weren't expecting. Everyone is happy.