2004 Gubernatorial Elections

[jravnsbo]

A place to start a  discussion of 2004 Gubernatorial Elections.  There will be a number of them to watch.

I am most interested in MO, with a tough Dem primary of the Incumbant Gov, Bob Holden.

Many other ones to watch such as MT and NC

[jravnsbo]

and here is Mr Sabato's thoughts on it:

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/gov_main.htm

[jravnsbo]

Clavelle sounds like Dean, unsure if he'll support the rest if not nominated.[


VT could be interesting, but they have a history of giving governors a full 4 years. The mayor of Burlington, Progressive Party-ite Peter Clavelle,  is running as a Dem. He's trailing 44-33 according to a Research 2000 poll last October for Vermont's CBS station WCAX. Also running against the mayor in the primary is Peter Shumlin, the 2002 Dem nominee for Lt. Governor.  A Peter will win the nomination either way. If Clavelle gets it, it's unclear if he'd be any kind of party loyalist-- supporting all other Dems on the ballot. Shumlin is the establishment choice.

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[jravnsbo]

Keep us up to date if you would.  I think Holden is weak and will lose somewhere, if primary or general election.  As a GOP backer I think that it would be better if he survived the primary, which still has to favor him, which is still where betting money is as hardly ever does party throw out its incumbant, shows they had a bad administration.

There is no doubt that Holden is in serious trouble here in Missouri.  He has been unpopular from the get go.  His first mistake was holding an
inauguration that cost $1 million.  The state always pays $125,000, but he raised the rest.  This didn't go over too well given the state's budget problems.  Of course the biggest problem is his bad luck of gaining the office just as the economy tanked.  Any how he faces a tough primary challenge from state auditor Claire Mccaskil.  His GOP opponent will be secretary of state Matt Blunt.  Blunt's only 33. He served one term in the Missouri house and then got elected Sec. of State against a weak opponent.  It will be interesting, because Blunt has never really ran a "real" race. His house seat was safe GOP and he had a huge war chest against an under funded opponent in the Sec. of State's race.  The last poll I saw had Blunt ahead of Holden by 2 points and Mccaskil ahead of Blunt by 2 points.  I would be willing to dump Holden in the primary if Mccaskil would have a better chance of saving the seat.  

[jravnsbo]

Nice quote!

Yes I think Mitch Daniels will be the next Governor of Indiana!

A place to start a  discussion of 2004 Gubernatorial Elections.  There will be a number of them to watch.

I am most interested in MO, with a tough Dem primary of the Incumbant Gov, Bob Holden.

Many other ones to watch such as MT and NC

IN should also be interesting.  There you have a liberal Democrat with 1 year incumbancy, who took over for a conservative Democrat, in a Conservative state.  

IN will go Republican.

[jravnsbo]

when is the MO primary ?  It can't be Feb 3 for governor, is it, like the presidential one?  That seems too soon.

There is no doubt that Holden is in serious trouble here in Missouri.  He has been unpopular from the get go.  His first mistake was holding an
inauguration that cost $1 million.  The state always pays $125,000, but he raised the rest.  This didn't go over too well given the state's budget problems.  Of course the biggest problem is his bad luck of gaining the office just as the economy tanked.  Any how he faces a tough primary challenge from state auditor Claire Mccaskil.  His GOP opponent will be secretary of state Matt Blunt.  Blunt's only 33. He served one term in the Missouri house and then got elected Sec. of State against a weak opponent.  It will be interesting, because Blunt has never really ran a "real" race. His house seat was safe GOP and he had a huge war chest against an under funded opponent in the Sec. of State's race.  The last poll I saw had Blunt ahead of Holden by 2 points and Mccaskil ahead of Blunt by 2 points.  I would be willing to dump Holden in the primary if Mccaskil would have a better chance of saving the seat.  

[jravnsbo]

August, that's great for GOP.  I long primary battle plus they can run against the poor record that Gov Holden has demonstrated for a long time.

[jravnsbo]

2006 race, but didn't want to make  thread for one article.  Run chcuk run, I'd love to get him out of the senate, then he could just ruin NY instea dof fthe whole country.


Schumer's future
    Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, "has told friends in recent days that he's now 'seriously interested' in running for governor in 2006," the New York Post's Fredric U. Dicker writes.
    "The Brooklyn-based Schumer, stepping up his focus on a race that was once of little interest, made the declaration in a one-on-one conversation with a New York City political operative, said a knowledgeable Democratic Party insider.
    " 'He said he was "seriously interested" in running for governor,' said the insider, who has strong Washington ties.
    "Schumer's declaration came at about the same time a Marist College poll showed him with a sizable 54 to 29 percent lead among Democrats over Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, an all-but-certain gubernatorial contender," Mr. Dicker said.
    "Party insiders say Schumer, who is expected to win an easy re-election victory in November, is increasingly nervous that Democrats will lose at least four to six Senate seats in the November election, and possibly even more if former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is the nominee.
    " 'He's making it clear that his ability to block judges, to be effective the way he thinks he should be, could come to an end after the election,' said a source close to Senate Democrats."