[Sleeping Beauty]

As far as I can see -- we can hold and win Senate seats IF -- and only if -- we elect a Republican president.

For that reason, I will vote for ANYONE who wins the nomination -- even Rudy or Ron Paul.

What about you?

[TommyDale]

Actually, we need to win the Presidency with a Republican, and we also need to kill the Immigration Bill, which is what 85% of the population wants. If the Immigration Bill passes, many GOP faithful will work against those Republican Senators who support it. Sorry to break that news to everyone.

[sourcery]

For that reason, I will vote for ANYONE who wins the nomination -- even Rudy or Ron Paul.

Well, I'd vote for Ron Paul regardless. Except he can't even win the GOP nomination, let alone actually be elected President.

However, any Republican Senator who votes for the Mexican Invasion Surrender Bill won't be going back to the Senate after his current term expires. You can take that to the bank.

[conserv8ive1]

RINOS put us in this position.
I will not vote for a RINO period.

[oldbill]

You start out with guaranteed losers, like Graham and Hagel.

[TChris]

As far as I can see -- we can hold and win Senate seats IF -- and only if -- we elect a Republican president. For that reason, I will vote for ANYONE who wins the nomination -- even Rudy or Ron Paul. What about you?

Ditto that.

I'll strongly support my candidate (currently Romney) in the primary, and I'll vote for the eventual Republican nominee in the general. ...even if it's *gag* Giuliani or *gag* McFeign.

National elections are just too close right now to mess with third parties, IMO. All it does is throw the election to the other side.

[Calpernia]

>>>What about you?

I will only vote for a conservative, regardless of party.

[nyconse]

Actually, I am so fed up with the Republicans with this amnesty bill, I don’t even care.

[Mister Politics]

I couldn’t agree with you more Sleeping Beauty.

[MrEdd]

I won’t vote for any liberal. Period.

[Regulator]

GOP Faces Tough Odds for 2008 Senate Comeback

And they are currently doing their damndest to make those odds utterly insurmountable by pushing the National Suicide Amnesty bill.

Clearly, the Stupid Party is well named.

[Nonstatist]

I will vote for ANYONE who wins the nomination -- even Rudy or Ron Paul. What about you?

I wont vote for McCain under any circumstance; he has no allegiance to the Republican Party whatsoever.

[Redmen4ever]

Let’s consider this Senate thing the other way around ... let’s assume the Democrat wins the President.

IF the Democrat wins the President, they WILL INCREASE their hold on the Senate, and RETAIN the House.

And, they WILL COME INTO CONTROL OF THE SUPREME COURT.

These are very sobering thoughts.

A left-socialtist, green, multi-cultural America.

Now, if the Republican wins the President, in a close race, I’d say the most probable result in the Senate is net zero or net 1. But, in any case, I don’t see the Senate changing much one way or the other.

I do believe we will pick up the House, but not by a wide margin.

This means that, to really move our agenda, we will have to do, in 2010 and 2012, what George W. Bush did in 2002 and 2004. But, at least we will be setting the agenda, and making incremental gains, instead of seeing the other side moving to consolidate power in this country, the way they are consolidating power in Venezuela.

This is why I think we have to be very serious about backing a candidate who can win.

Now, relative to CQ ratings ... I can see some upside potential for our side:

Arkansas - if Gov. Huckabee sets his sights on the Senate. (Was he terrific at the 3rd debate or what!)

New Jersey (and possibly even Michigan) - Rudy is showing very well in this state (and also in New Jersey and Pennsylvania). If Tom Kean could be enticed into a second run, we might win.

Iowa - Gov. Pawlenty would make a good running mate for every one of the front-runners. This could help us in the senate race in this neighboring state (and also in South Dakota).

Montana - We lost a Senate seat, in a very close election, in this state with an ethically-challenged incumbent. There’s a certain former Governor out there who should have been our nominee last year for the Senate, and might be persuaded to be our nominee next year.

If we were to pick up one or two of these seats, where we’re not expected to be competitive - “surprise pick-ups,” if you will - we could might start to think of net 2.

[lag along]

Elections, even national ones such as US Senators and Representatives, I am convinced are still local matters. A conservative candidate with a strong, active base, can win in nearly any area with some exceptional congressional districts.

Based solely on listening and reading protests, this immigration amnesty and illegals getting a pass on papers has disaffected a large number of legal and naturalized aliens. A case could made that strong messages to the black, Asian, and Hispanic communities regarding the cost to them that will come with this bill. Put the blame squarly on the Democrat party. Republicans can hold firm on this and hold on to this legislation until the McCain's and Gulianies are out of the race. Perhaps the republicans will feel less pressure if they realize that a strong border conservative is likely to be the nominee.

[ex-snook]

"Moreover, the political landscape in those 33 states looks forbidding, at least at this early stage of the 2008 campaign cycle."

Hint to win. Get in tune with what the voters want. If the GOP can't do that, well TS [an old army expression, first word tough].

[bill1952]

we can hold and win Senate seats IF -- and only if -- we elect a Republican president.

Sorry, but I do not see any logic in that statement at all. It flies in the face of historical precedent, and having Bush as president surely didn't do snot in 06.

Now if you replace that word "republican" with conservative candidates who we broken glass republicans can really support" then guess what?

I will bet real money on the GOP holding and winning other Congressional seats. Its not rocket science, but the GOP has lost my active support with all of the recent neo liberal, sell out American culture to garner potential future voters, courses of action.

I will support individual GOP candidates as I can, but the GOP will no longer have my support until I see real action on the value issues that move me. - and I see the end of the modern GOP as a major winner in American politics as it speeds down the highway to the lowest common denominator.

>

[BurtSB]

Hello . The reason Reid and Kennedy are pushing this amnesty bill is because plan to run PHONY ANTI-AMNESTY conservative Dems against these fools such as Graham, Saxby, Domenic, and Voleicki ( OH) etc.. ) The bill is a smart strategy , killing the repub party in the next en years with a flood of new dems and wiping out the repub base support for these fools who may win the repub primary but lose the general election . Karl Rove and Jorge are IDIOTS and sell outs to there large donors!

[CAluvdubya]

Take good look at us over here in CA. The same strategy was applied to Ahnold....better him than a D. Well, it's turned out not to be so true. None of our state R reps speak out against Ahnold because of that little R next to his name. What did we get??? A Dem in R clothing who is all for illegal amnesty!

I can't see how it's helping us.

[Wonder Warthog]

"For that reason, I will vote for ANYONE who wins the nomination -- even Rudy or Ron Paul."

Nope. Not gonna happen. No Rudy, no McCain. They're as bad as Hillary.

[JSDude1]

Who cares most republican spend, act, pander, and show no backbone, lack morals, just like DEMOCRATS. That’s why I don’t support the party anymore, I just support and vote for candidates. What we really NEED is a new Conservative party to take he place of the (on its last breaths-especially if Illigal Immigration Reform Passes) the Old GOP, Republican Party

[dforest]

Looks like a very manipulative article. If we lose these seats, not much will change because we frittered away the leadership and left ourselves with the guys that can’t decide which party they are in.