Posted on 05/26/2006 8:52:51 AM PDT by workerbee
WASHINGTON — He's a congressional Republican who wants to increase protections on whistleblowers at the National Security Agency, has pushed for stronger lobbying reform legislation and called for the resignation of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
But Connecticut Rep. Chris Shays may find it won't be easy to escape his party label in what many say is a pretty dark period for the House GOP.
"He's very vulnerable, that's the short answer," said Nathan Gonzales, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, which has the race between Shays and Democratic opponent Diane Farrell — who lost to Shays by four points in 2004 — in the "pure toss up" category.
"This is a much better environment for [Farrell] than 2004," Gonzales said. "Chris Shays has been pretty steadfast in his mind about being independent and trying to emphasize his profile as an independent, but on Election Day how far does that take him when he still has an 'R' behind his name?"
But others say Shays, who represents the Nutmeg State's 4th Congressional District, won't be taken unawares in the November poll. Campaign manager Michael Sohn said Shays is amassing a rare, bountiful campaign war chest — over $1.7 million as of the latest Federal Election Commission filing — and has been stumping non-stop.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This guys one of our RINO's isn't he?
He only won by 4 points last time, against a relative unknown. This would be a toss-up with or without "republican problems".
One of the worst.He was MAHHHHHHTY Meehan's partner in crime with Shays-Meehan.
Except that Rell is on top of the ticket and leading her challengers by 40%+.
He makes Chafee look like as right-winger
No great loss. If he losses, it will eventually present the opportunity to run a true republican for that office.
Rell's popular with everyone. If that race were closer, Republicans would have more incentive to turn out.
The coattail effect in CT isn't very strong anymore but if Gov Rell wins big it won't hurt Shays.
I would shed no tears if Shays is defeated but at least he votes the right way sometimes. He is the only GOP rep. from CT to vote to ban partial birth abortion.
That this race is close just goes to show how much farther to the left this state is turning, even in the once Republican leaning Fairfield county. Shays is exactly the type of pro choice "moderate" that is supposed to be able to appeal to independents and Democrats. But even he is now labeled as too conservative for them. I guess more and more of those suburban swing voters are turning into hardcore Dems. Pretty sad.
Shays = 20% ACU rating 2005
"Missing Linc" Chafee = 12% ACU rating 2005
Close, but no cigar. Chafee is the bottom of the sewer of the GOP caucus.
Shays' ACU ratings:
2004 - 38
2005 - 20
Life - 47
Pathetic. Shays is a true RINO who panders to the local liberal press.
Good riddance to bad garbage.
Another brokeback Republican?? Bye Bye, take Goober with you.
Connecticut ping!
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
However, the Democrats have a real primary in the senate race: Ned Lamont against Lieberman, and that'll suck a lot of time and money on the Democrat side. And at their convention, the governor's race was practically a tie, and so that'll be a contentious primary as well, and those two governor candidates will draw a lot of support.
If Lieberman wins the primary, and that's more likely than not right now, I think a fair number of Lamont's supporters will stay home. Rell, the incumbent Republican governor, has a huge lead, and so the governor's race will all but be decided. Many Lamont supports have no interest in voting for Lieberman because he 1) voted in favor of the Iraq war, and 2) voted for cloture in the Alito nomination. Thus, the only races will be congressional and down-ticket statewide offices, so many Lamont supporters may stay home.
If Lieberman loses the primary, he'll probably run as an independent. With him and Lamont splitting votes, the Republican may win the Senate race, but even that's not a definite. But all the Lamont and Lieberman voters would vote for the other races, tipping may to the Dems.
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