2014 looking good for GOP in Senate
Despite all of the doom and gloom about the future of the Republican Party following the 2012 election, the reality is that Republicans actually have a chance of retaking the Senate in 2014. Those hopes improved on Wednesday as Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins said that barring a serious illness or another catastrophe, she plans to run for reelection.
In 2014, Democrats will be defending a total of 21 seats, including seven states Mitt Romney carried — Montana, South Dakota, West Virginia, Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina. In contrast, Republicans will be defending 14 seats. All of those seats are in Romney states, except for one — the Collins seat in Maine.
Though it would be tough for most Republicans to win in Maine, Collins has been able to do so. In 2008, she got reelected with nearly 62 percent of the vote in a state that Obama won by 17 points. After fellow moderate Maine Republican Olympia Snowe retired, Republicans lost control of the other Maine Senate seat last year.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
vegconservative on March 21, 2013 at 12:13 PM
We heard this in 2012. If the base sits home again (which is probably going to happen since the party establishment has stepped up attacks on the base) we’re likely to get another “thumpin.”
Doomberg on March 21, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Not sure what point you’re making here.
2010 (mid-term) was pretty good for the GOP in the senate, particularly given that redistricting hadn’t happened yet. We lost a few, gained a few and ended up a bit ahead. We actually did better than predicted by most pundits.
2012 (non-mid-term) was a rough year, but we held our own. It should be noted that nobody reasonable was expecting the GOP to make major gains due to the long Obama coattails, and redistricting had just happened, so nobody really knew what would happen.
2014 (mid-term) should actually be pretty good barring some major fark-up by the GOP. (always possible) Not only is it a mid-term, but with redistricting and some time we now know how well we can expect to do, and that’s pretty good. Will we take back the Sentate? Possibly. I think we have a much better chance of it this time around than last, but you never really know until the day of the election.
wearyman on March 21, 2013 at 12:20 PM
If 2014 is as good for us in the Senate as it was in 2010, the GOP will control the Senate in 2015…
JohnGalt23 on March 21, 2013 at 12:20 PM
But Noemie Emerie said in that other linked story that the base isn’t needed or something, or that the GOP owes them nothing.
ddrintn on March 21, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Excuse me if the re-election of Susan Collins doesn’t make me feel very hopeful.
Bitter Clinger on March 21, 2013 at 12:23 PM
*Emery, sorry
ddrintn on March 21, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Uh, redistricting has no effect on the Senate.
Bitter Clinger on March 21, 2013 at 12:25 PM
I don’t know.
Lots of people won’t turn out for Democrats but if Republicans keep being squishy, even more people won’t turn out for them.
22044 on March 21, 2013 at 12:26 PM
Don’t worry, they GOP will find a way to screw it up.
RedRedRice on March 21, 2013 at 12:28 PM
The thing about 2010 was the backlash against the AHA and the dem overreach. The wind is now out of that sail. So how can that dynamic be recreated? The GOPs best shot is to keep putting Feinstein and her gun grabbing agenda front and center.
Red Creek on March 21, 2013 at 12:30 PM
Democrats only hope is to follow the Claire McCaskill model. Throw money and support behind the craziest wackobird in the GOP primary and hope for self-implosion. Where are these cycles Sharon/Christine/Todd/Mourdock? Calling all wackobirds to the GOP primary!
libfreeordie on March 21, 2013 at 12:32 PM
Would you rather have Collins or someone like Alan Greyson?
Zaggs on March 21, 2013 at 12:33 PM
Looks good for Ted Cruz type conservative Republicans, not so good for the RINO’s who will vote for amnasty.
note to file:
If Ted Cruz flips and votes for amnasty there will be a new third party in the deal.
APACHEWHOKNOWS on March 21, 2013 at 12:51 PM
The RINO traitors are how we got to this place.
So, yes better to be hurt by a Alan Greyson than stabed in the back in a dark alley by a Susan Collins.
Traitors are a bad thing.
They are just scouts, spys inside our camps.
They vote with the bad evil ones on the deals that count, not one thing of great evil by the Democrats would have been voted in without the traitor RINO’s.
Death by votes to RINO’s now and forever.
APACHEWHOKNOWS on March 21, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Exactly. Here in Texas I’m waiting for the Dem party created “Tea Party” or social con to “purge” us of RINO Cornyn and this person will of course oppose abortion especially in instances of rape and the smooth talking flashy teethed Obama Hispanic mayor of San Antonio will have smoooooooth sailing.
Marcus on March 21, 2013 at 12:54 PM
*cough*Portman*cough*
Fenris on March 21, 2013 at 12:57 PM
On Texas, Susan Combs and Jerry Patterson are said to be going for David Dehurst Lt. Gov. deal.
If this is so likely they know that Gregg Abbot is going for RINO Cornyns Senate seat.
Not one of the commie Democrats stand a chance in Texas, all that shit is msm hipe.
APACHEWHOKNOWS on March 21, 2013 at 12:57 PM
The only thing keeping the GOP alive is the gun grabbing which is happening across the country at the state level. Democrats just couldn’t help, but try to take advantage of the Sandy Hook massacre. In hindsight their best strategy would have been to keep the plans secret and let Republicans hang themselves by supporting the Democrat agenda which they are doing right now. This would at least give them a shot at taking back the House and hanging on to the Senate then they could do some real gun grabbing.
Right now I’m just not sure how it will go. Republicans should have a big advantage in 2014, but they appear to be squandering it. Unfortunately, even if the GOP establishment hangs on to the House and picks up maybe 2 Senate seats they will claim that their new strategy of being Dem-lite actually works when in reality it was the gun grabbing and activism of 2nd amendment rights activists that kept the party afloat.
I have never been less motivated to vote right now than in my entire life. I am only one person, but there seem to be many others. The comments from many conservative sites that I read are very upset with the country’s direction, but it is different than the discontent in 2010.
Wigglesworth on March 21, 2013 at 1:01 PM
What I’m saying is that We were supposed to win control of the Senate in 2010, and then because we didn’t, it was a sure thing in 2012. Basically, if there is a way to fail at this yet again, the GOP will find it.
vegconservative on March 21, 2013 at 1:01 PM
There is still a year to go before the field shakes out but if there is still no credible anti-amnesty candidate then i’ll bet $10,000 that the Rs lose big. They will lose in the senate and they will be back to about even in the House. Also, the turnout will be a record low. The faux young conservative nerds might show up but that’s about it. The bulk of the actual young and old conservatives won’t be voting for the republican no labels purple party.
BoxHead1 on March 21, 2013 at 1:16 PM
isare…candidatecandidatesBoxHead1 on March 21, 2013 at 1:22 PM
davidk on March 21, 2013 at 1:25 PM
Gregg Abbot isn’t running. He’s already said Cornyn is his “good friend” and he was not running against him.
Marcus on March 21, 2013 at 1:26 PM
I had to look back, I did remember correctly both Cornyn and Abbot were on the Texas Supreme Court together for years and when Abbot says he’s not going for that seat while Cornyn is still in it, I think you can call that non-spin.
Marcus on March 21, 2013 at 1:41 PM
GOP consultants eager to screw this up.
Marcus Aurelius on March 21, 2013 at 2:16 PM
I can’t think of anything less exciting than voting for a US repub senator.
*Senators Paul and Cruz being the exceptions of course.
Panther on March 21, 2013 at 2:48 PM