[Thud]

Davis was also often lucky in having feeble opponents. Lundgren was a disastrous GOP gubernatorial candidate in 1998.

[djreece]

I agree! I think part of the problem there was that Lungren was the "annointed one," so he did not have a real primary and his weaknesses as a candidate were exposed far too late.

I think the Republicans tried to do the same thing with George W. in 2000. Instead, he ran into some real opposition on the way to the coronation, which I believe made him a better candidate in the long run. Republicans need to remember competition sharpens candidates.