So, the GOP has now basically blown four near-gimme seats in the last two cycles

[sg0508]

In 2010:

1) Nevada- Sharron Angle fiasco where Harry Reid was a sitting duck and many predicted he could/would lose to a halfway decent candidate by double digits. Um yeah. Angle loses by 7 pts

2) Colorado- Ken Buck and the dying GOP in the state. The GOP has not won a statewide race in CO since Bush barely beat Kerry there in 2004.  Another blown chance.

3) Delaware- Perhaps the most comical of all.  Christine O'Donnell's primary campaign gains steam in the last two weeks before the primary and she defeats the moderate veteran Mike Castle.  Castle was predicted to beat Chris Coons by 10 pts or so in the general, but insert O'Donnell and her ridiculousness instead and we end up with a near 30 pt swing the other direction.  Exit polls showed that had it been a Castle/Coons race, Castle probably wins by 9-10 pts.

Now in 2012:

1) Todd Akin self-destructing in MO, the seat that appeared to be the easiest pickup for the party this cycle.  No need to say more.

[You kip if you want to...]

Indiana don't forget!

[後援会]

Indiana don't forget!

> Thinks Dem have a lock, or are even favored to win in Indiana

Also, the GOP didn't really blow Colorado. Bennett was a good candidate too, and it's not certain the other primary candidate would have won.

Though Nevada, Delaware, and Missouri are pretty accurate.

Also, keep in mind Nevada and Missouri were both the products of plurality primaries. Which is a terrible idea the GOP is working to quash.

[sg0508]

Indiana don't forget!

> Thinks Dem have a lock, or are even favored to win in Indiana

Also, the GOP didn't really blow Colorado. Bennett was a good candidate too, and it's not certain the other primary candidate would have won.

Though Nevada, Delaware, and Missouri are pretty accurate.

Also, keep in mind Nevada and Missouri were both the products of plurality primaries. Which is a terrible idea the GOP is working to quash.

The irony is, when it finally became pretty evident that Castle was in real peril of losing that primary, general election polls still showed the 25-30 pt swing. So, it was no surprise to anyone (or it shouldn't have been) that Nov. ended up being the landslide that it was.  The GOP simply chose the platform in that case to make a statement and got burned bigtime.

[timothyinMD]

Indiana don't forget!

> Thinks Dem have a lock, or are even favored to win in Indiana

Also, the GOP didn't really blow Colorado. Bennett was a good candidate too, and it's not certain the other primary candidate would have won.

Though Nevada, Delaware, and Missouri are pretty accurate.

Also, keep in mind Nevada and Missouri were both the products of plurality primaries. Which is a terrible idea the GOP is working to quash.

I agree here, we shouldn't have a system where someone wins a primary with 25% of the vote

[Torie]

Indiana don't forget!

> Thinks Dem have a lock, or are even favored to win in Indiana

Also, the GOP didn't really blow Colorado. Bennett was a good candidate too, and it's not certain the other primary candidate would have won.

Though Nevada, Delaware, and Missouri are pretty accurate.

Also, keep in mind Nevada and Missouri were both the products of plurality primaries. Which is a terrible idea the GOP is working to quash.

It's Bennet, same spelling as my great grandfather. The spelling is very unusual, and thus I wonder if he is a distant cousin. I have been meaning to find out. The great, great grandfather moved from Scotland to Montreal, and built the engine that powered the first steamboat across the Atlantic, the Royal William. He is rather famous in Canadian maritime history.

[RogueBeaver]

Republicans should be careful what they wish for: while a runoff system would have eliminated Akin, it would also have eliminated Tommy Thompson in WI. That said they're generally a good idea.

[後援会]

Republicans should be careful what they wish for: while a runoff system would have eliminated Akin, it would also have eliminated Tommy Thompson in WI. That said they're generally a good idea.

Would they have? Was there a very large anti-Thompson vote? Because people say that about Romney (including that "25% ceiling of support" lie), even though PPP had him crushing every single primary opponent in a one vs. one race.