2008 and House Candidates in the West
Swing State Project recently listed ten Democratic House Candidates who ran close, but unsuccessful, races in 2006, and should run again. These are good candidates who ran in tough districts and now have some name recognition for a second attempt. Of particular note is that half of these are in the West:
Charlie Brown CA-4
Larry Grant ID-1
Tessa Hafen NV-3
Darcy Burner WA-8
Gary Truaner WY-AL
The New York Times and CQ Politics recently reported a list of fifteen close 2006 House races. Again five, though not the same five, are in the West.
CO-4
NV-3
NM-1
WA-8
WY-AL
Combining the two lists already gives us seven House seats to watch in the West in 2008. Two of the seven are in blue states (CA, WA). Two are in the red states (ID, WY). Three are in red states considered to be trending purple (CO, NV, NM).
The focus in 2008 will be on the top of the ticket, but we are now seeing how important control of the House is. Continuing or expanding Democratic control of the House in 2008 may well depend on having a Presidential ticket that can run well in the West.
Leo Brown | January 6, 2007 | Comment on This Post (4 so far) |
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Comments
I agree that we must field a ticket in '08 that can win CO and NM and run competitively throughout the rest of the West.
So, who do you see as that ticket, at this point?
Posted by: Frederick Warren | Jan 8, 2007 5:57:55 AM
They forgot Ellen Simon, AZ-1. Popular support didn't win that race for Rick Renzi, R-Mantech International, his millions of dollars and vicious campaign did.
Posted by: phoenix guy | Jan 8, 2007 7:37:35 AM
The NV-3 race was an ugly battle that, in my opinion, was hurt by the lack of national Dem support of Jack Carter for Senate...Hafen was portrayed as a carpetbagger (as was Carter) when in fact, she is a 3rd generation Nevadan, and her opponent Porter is from New Jersey. Despite the fact that Hafen is young, I think with some more national support she could win in '08. She has great name recognition and is a good campaigner.
Posted by: Jake | Jan 8, 2007 4:36:57 PM
It's good to see that Gary Trauner is getting recognition for his gallant effort against Rep. Barbara Cubin for Wyoming's lone House seat. Trauner lost by a tad more than 1,000 votes, the closest margin since Cubin first ran for Dick Cheney's abandoned seat 12 years ago. On Jan. 22, Sheridan County is doing a hand recount of the Nov. 7 votes due to the "statistical anomaly" of Cubin winning by 628 votes in a county where Trauner was getting lots of support. I hope Trauner runs in 2008. One good sign: he's writing editorials for local papers. The one today in Cheyenne called for our all-Repub Congressional delegation to tell voters their views on Bush's "new" strategy for Iraq.
Posted by: Mike Shay | Jan 14, 2007 9:34:38 PM
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(and yes, we know that sometimes they're very, very wrong. Other times, they're right on.)
