Blue Oregon: Defazio who may run for Senate against Smith-abolish draft

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

http://www.blueoregon.com/2006/12/defazio_wants_t.html

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

He's done this many times before. DeFazio is a good man.

[Mr. Paleoconservative]

DeFazio is the consumate "Safe Player," unless it is certain to him he can clearly beat Smith and be crowned in the Democratic Primary, he will not give up chairmanships to several powerful House subcommittees. 

Examples of his cold feat syndrome can be seen when he half heartedly ran for the Senate in the 1995 Special Election Primary against Wyden, and when he was "strongly considering" running against Smith in 2002.

I doubt he will take the risk.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Even if he isn't going to run, the dems are pushing Republicans like Smith and Coleman to jump ship on Iraq and move away President on this issue, and giving the Iraq issue to the Dems still to the Dems.

[Mr. Paleoconservative]

Just as I predicted.


Congressman DeFazio will not run against Senator Smith.

[TheresNoMoney]

Too bad. Smith is looking more and more like he won't get a serious challenge.

[Adlai Stevenson]

DeFazio was the best candidate to defeat Smith.  However, there are still a few statewide Democrats who could take up the challenge.  I think the defining factor will be whether the DSCC chooses to target Smith.  He is one of three Republican Senators running for re-election in nominally Democratic states in a Presidential year.  It would make sense for Democrats to target him alongside Sununu, Coleman and Smith; of the three I would say Smith is the most entrenched and likely to be re-elected. 

[JSojourner]

I like Smith.  A lot.

He works very well with Ron Wyden. 

Yes, I'd like to expand our narrow-thin majority in the Senate.  But I'd rather see us dump more Theocratic nut cases like Rick Santorum. 

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I like Smith.  A lot.

He works very well with Ron Wyden. 

Yes, I'd like to expand our narrow-thin majority in the Senate.  But I'd rather see us dump more Theocratic nut cases like Rick Santorum. 

God bless you for being decent

[Mr. Paleoconservative]

Smith's chances will largely be determined by the quality of candidate nominated by the Dems, and on if the Constitution Party decides to runs a strong enough candidate to cost him a close race.

[Rob]

Yes, I'd like to expand our narrow-thin majority in the Senate.  But I'd rather see us dump more Theocratic nut cases like Rick Santorum.

Problem is, those theocrats represent radical states where we don't have a chance. We have no shot at taking out Inhofe or Cornyn (Cuellar might make things interesting in Texas, but it's a longshot). These "moderate" Republicans that represent Democratic states are our only real pickup opportunities.

Anyway, Smith likes to be portrayed as a centrist, but he has to be to stand a chance in Oregon. This is a state that has become hostile even to pro-choice and pro-gay Republicans (see how Saxton got slaughtered by a deeply unpopular Governor last year), so Smith is definitely outside the mainstream.

Of course, with Kitzhaber and DeFazio declining to run, it looks like Oregon Dems will be giving him a free pass... again.

[JSojourner]

Yes, I'd like to expand our narrow-thin majority in the Senate.  But I'd rather see us dump more Theocratic nut cases like Rick Santorum.

Problem is, those theocrats represent radical states where we don't have a chance. We have no shot at taking out Inhofe or Cornyn (Cuellar might make things interesting in Texas, but it's a longshot). These "moderate" Republicans that represent Democratic states are our only real pickup opportunities.

Anyway, Smith likes to be portrayed as a centrist, but he has to be to stand a chance in Oregon. This is a state that has become hostile even to pro-choice and pro-gay Republicans (see how Saxton got slaughtered by a deeply unpopular Governor last year), so Smith is definitely outside the mainstream.

Of course, with Kitzhaber and DeFazio declining to run, it looks like Oregon Dems will be giving him a free pass... again.

I know.  And that's why I will likely support Smith's opponent.  But it grieves me to see the Inhofes and DeMints of the world destroy a noble political party.  Part of me says we need more Smiths and Snowes and folks like Oregon's former Senator, Mark Hatfield.

But pragmatically, I can't agree with you more.  The handful of moderate Republicans can't and won't stop the steamrolling tide that is the Theocratic movement of the extreme right.

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

Yes, I'd like to expand our narrow-thin majority in the Senate.  But I'd rather see us dump more Theocratic nut cases like Rick Santorum.

Problem is, those theocrats represent radical states where we don't have a chance. We have no shot at taking out Inhofe or Cornyn (Cuellar might make things interesting in Texas, but it's a longshot). These "moderate" Republicans that represent Democratic states are our only real pickup opportunities.

Anyway, Smith likes to be portrayed as a centrist, but he has to be to stand a chance in Oregon. This is a state that has become hostile even to pro-choice and pro-gay Republicans (see how Saxton got slaughtered by a deeply unpopular Governor last year), so Smith is definitely outside the mainstream.

Of course, with Kitzhaber and DeFazio declining to run, it looks like Oregon Dems will be giving him a free pass... again.

I know.  And that's why I will likely support Smith's opponent.  But it grieves me to see the Inhofes and DeMints of the world destroy a noble political party.  Part of me says we need more Smiths and Snowes and folks like Oregon's former Senator, Mark Hatfield.

But pragmatically, I can't agree with you more.  The handful of moderate Republicans can't and won't stop the steamrolling tide that is the Theocratic movement of the extreme right.

However it is quite nice when we can nail one of the REALLY BAD Republicans from a state where they don't belong, like Santorum or Coleman. Of coruse, it'd be better if they were never elected in the first place.

[SPC]

rather than hope for the worst republicans to win the primaries so they will be easily defeated in the general elections, why don't you hope for the republicans that you actually like to win the primaries, then you don't have to focus on how to defeat them.

[MarkWarner08]

Defazio has officially bowed out. This will help Democratic efforts to hold the House -- Defazio's district is highly competitive.
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/010407.html


I think the nomination is now Blumenauer's for the taking. If you doubt his aspirations for higher office, read this quote, "Despite being in a safe district where he’s never taken less than 67 percent of the vote, Blumenauer advertised statewide for the first time in his career in 2006."