Posted on 09/10/2012 9:05:04 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Three weeks after Republican Rep. Todd Akin upended the national political landscape by claiming that pregnancies rarely result from “legitimate rape,” the race for Senate in this increasingly conservative state — and in many ways the battle for control of Congress’s upper chamber — has settled into a waiting game.
A Sept. 25 deadline looms. That’s the last day Akin can petition Missouri courts to remove his name from the ballot — and comply with the near-universal calls from party leaders who think his comments have made unwinnable a seat they need for an easier path to a Senate majority.
Akin’s opponent, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, is waiting, too — hoping that Akin remains in the race but knowing that even if he does, reelection to the Senate is far from secure in a state that has turned sharply against President Obama.
In the balance could lie the Senate.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The same party that is funding other Senatorial candidates who are behind and much further behind their opponents.
Nothing could be stupider than for Republicans to take the bait and continue the insulting demands that the Primary winner withdraw, because of such exaggerated concerns.
As for Karl Rove--a demonstrable "dysron" who has been keeping this going? See "Dysron," Quack Or Mole?
Look, I do not even pretend to know where Akin stands on the actual issues. I do know how it looks to independent minded voters, when a political party tries to bully its own members, in a form of pseudo-pragmatism. You want to know what is hurting the Party? Keeping this hysteria going. Let the Democrats try to keep it going, if we stop helping them. The issue rapidly evaporates.
William Flax
That's too bad, isn't it? To many of us here in Missouri, it just looks like outside interference by a party elite who didn't get their chosen candidate.
“but I have volunteered to help if this thing gets organized.”
Keep us informed on this, as I would volunteer also.
40% Rat
20% GOP
20% “Conservative Party”
20% Independent
How do you ever win an election? You can play with the numbers a bit but 40-45% are always going to be hard core Rat. 5 to 6+% of the Independents are going to be swayed by liberal arguments. The next 5 to 6+% of the Independents are going to be swayed by conservative arguments. The remaining will just go with what looks best and makes them feel good.
Again if you split the conservative vote how did you ever win another election? We do not have a parliamentary system.
It's better (but hard to do!) seize control of the GOP from the ground level and work our way up.
One thing you have to give the Rats credit for they are very disciplined in their desire for power. Without political power all discussions regarding turning this mess around are academic.
I'm afraid I don't pay attention to polls until someone else brings it up. When someone told me Akin was down 10, I noted that Spence, the R candidate for Governor was also down 10. Last I heard, Akin was back to even and Spence was still down 10. Now you say Akin is +3 and that's good I guess but is Spence making any headway? None of this affects me at all - I'm going to do what I can to get my candidates elected regardless.
I don't know about that, but my position is the time to drop out has passed. Akin is probably enjoying the statewide campaigning anyway, so what the hell...let him have his fun and play out the string.
Keep us informed on this, as I would volunteer also.
Ditto here. I know The Eagle Forum is all in.
Akin hasn't led since that misleading sham of a "poll" by PPP that sampled R+9 in order to show Akin at +1 on Aug 20. McCaskill has led by varying degrees ever since.
“To many of us here in Missouri, it just looks like outside interference by a party elite who didn’t get their chosen candidate.”
Akin WAS the chosen candidate... until he imploded.
If you're referring to George Allen's "macaca," yes it does. He paid the price for it in 2006 but is competitive now. Defeating McCaskill was a slam-dunk before Akin blew it up.
I received an envelope from the RNC the other day begging for money. I got out my sharpie and wrote across the paper: GO TO HELL — SINCERELY, AN AKIN SUPPORTER. I then folded that up and sent it back to them in the envelope they so nicely provided to me.
The RNC has a state here full of very angry and bitter grassroots conservatives that will do all they can to make sure Todd Akin stays in the race.
Right on, my brother!
Not of the party elites.
They were supporting another candidate who was not even in the primary.
No, sorry. Mr. Akin voted against No Child Left Behind, Medicare Drugs and TARP among other RINO pet projects. The GOPe saw an opening and jumped in haste.
Exactly. Allen "did the right thing" and withdrew, didn't he? And his replacement won, right? No? So how was it having a lunatic liberal senator for 6 years even though everyone "did the right thing"? Was that an improvement?
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