It's time to IMPEACH Bush!

[Ironside]

IMPEACH BUSH MOVEMENT!

Bush has failed us in oh so many ways.

Our "National Guard" is stuck fighting in a nation (QUAGMIRE) called Iraq instead of tending to domestic affairs, as needed.

Hurricane Katrina has OVERWHELMED this Government, as did the WTC attacks on 9/11/01!

FEMA Director Brown, who Bush told "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" 5 days after Hurricane Katrina hit, has resigned and who does Bush appoint as interim Director? David Paulison, the frickin' "duct tape and plastic sheathing, in the case of chemical attack", guy!

Oh boy, don't we feel safe now! NOT!

My goodness, George Bush hadn't even seen any footage and didn't have any idea how serious Hurricane Katrina was until the NEXT DAY!

Mississippi still hasn't been tended to by FEMA in many areas.

Hurricane Katrina has shown America and the world the readiness of the United States in case of an emergency. You'd think 4 years after 9/11 we'd have done MUCH BETTER than we did. The Bush Administration has FAILED US AGAIN!

How much more should we have to endure of this President? How long can Rightwing America condone his EVERY MOVE?

Where's the OUTRAGE?

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Dear ironside

I believe the only way that is going to happen and apparently it is a long shot, at least at the moment, is for the Democrats to regain control of Congress. Do you know the actual impeachment details, votes required, etc., and so what if Bush is impeached, as didn't Clinton get impeached, but stayed on as President? What kind of punishment is that? What was the difference between Nixon's situation, did he just resign, was he impeached, Ford pardonned him didn't he, or what happened there, with the silliness of the, so he likes women, Clinton situation? Careful what you ask for though, do you really want Cheney as prez?

Cheers

[newbie]

Somebody said this on another forum:

"Quick. Somebody give the president a BJ so we can impeach him."

[Toro]

I love these "impeach Bush" things.

Who controls the Senate? Who controls the House? Now tell me who is going to impeach Bush exactly.

Bush retains strong numbers amongst the rank-and-file GOP.

If you want to keep banging your head against the wall, be my guest.

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Here are the 2004 Senate results. Are they correct? What I believe we have to find out now is which Senate seats are up for renewal in 2006. Does anyone know?

U.S. Senate

Party Dem GOP Others

Won 15 19 0

Leading 0 0 0

Holdover 29 36 1

Trend 44 55 1

Current 48 51 1

Net Change -4 +4 0

Republicans won 55 Senate seats, expanding their current 51-48 margin, with one Democratic-leaning independent.

So if I understand correctly, the current standings in the Senate are:

Rep - 55 seats

Dem - 44 seats

Ind - 1 seat

Total 100 seats

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2004 House Results - Are these accurate?

Republicans dominate House

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans looked ahead Wednesday to two more years in power with an expanded majority and a president and Senate of their own political persuasion — and held out hope of further gains in Louisiana.

  U.S. House

Party Dem GOP Others

Won 200 231 1

Leading 1 2 0

Holdover 0 0 0

Trend 201 233 1

Current 205 229 1

Net Change -4 +4 0

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2004 presidential race:

President makes peace offer to political rivals

By Bill Nichols and Peter Eisler, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Bush formally won a second term in office Wednesday and quickly promised to unite the country after a taut and chaotic contest that wasn't decided until the pivotal state of Ohio went to Bush in the late morning after Election Day.

President 99% of precincts reporting

Candidates Party Votes Vote % States Won EV

Bush  Rep 59,834,866 51 31 286

Kerry Dem 56,373,514 48 20 252

Nader Ind 406,940 0 0 0

Badnarik Ind 384,174 0 0 0

Peroutka AIP 132,054 0 0 0

Cobb DCG 107,400 0 0 0

Peltier PFP 21,616 0 0 0

Brown Ind 10,283 0 0 0

Harris Ind 6,962 0 0 0

Calero Ind 4,445 0 0 0

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2006 senate elections - 33 seats

U.S. Senate election, 2006

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This article or section contains information about an upcoming election.

It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content about candidates may change dramatically as the election approaches and more information becomes available.

Seats up for election. Republican incumbents are red, Democratic incumbents are blue, independent incumbents are yellow, open Republican seats are pink, open Democratic seats are light blue, and the open independent seat is yellow. States without a seat up for reelection are gray.Contents [hide]

1 Major Parties

2 Races to watch

2.1 Retiring Senators

2.1.1 Jon Corzine – New Jersey

2.1.2 Mark Dayton – Minnesota

2.1.3 Bill Frist – Tennessee

2.1.4 Jim Jeffords – Vermont

2.1.5 Paul Sarbanes – Maryland

2.2 Notable Democratic incumbent races

2.2.1 Maria Cantwell – Washington

2.2.2 Hillary Clinton – New York

2.2.3 Kent Conrad – North Dakota

2.2.4 Bill Nelson – Florida

2.3 Notable Republican incumbent races

2.3.1 Conrad Burns – Montana

2.3.2 Lincoln Chafee – Rhode Island

2.3.3 Rick Santorum – Pennsylvania

2.3.4 Jim Talent – Missouri

2.3.5 R. Michael DeWine – Ohio

3 Senate contests in 2006

4 See also

Elections for the United States Senate will be held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. Since Senators are elected for six-year terms, those elected will serve from January 3, 2007 until January 3, 2013. Those Senators who were elected in 2000 will be seeking reelection or retiring in 2006.

The 2006 House election is scheduled for the same date as the Senate election, as well as many state and local elections, including those for 36 state governors.

[edit]

Major Parties

Of the seats being contested, 17 are held by Democrats, 15 are held by Republicans, and 1 by an independent who votes with the Democratic caucus.

The Senate is currently composed of 55 Republicans, who have been in the majority since 2003, 44 Democrats, and 1 independent. (The independent, former Republican Jim Jeffords of Vermont, began voting with the Democratic caucus in 2001, but will not seek re-election.)

To gain a majority in the Senate, Democrats will need 51 seats, holding their 17 seats at risk and acquiring a gain of 6 or 7 seats depending on whether the open Vermont seat is won by a Republican. With only 50 seats, the Democrats would remain in the minority as Vice President Dick Cheney as President of the Senate, breaks all tie votes.

To gain a "working majority" of 60 members, the number of votes required to break a filibuster, Republicans will need to gain five seats and hold their 15 seats at risk.

[edit]

Races to watch

It is not yet clear which seats will have the most competitive races. Incumbent senators have a high rate of re-election, even when their party affiliation is at odds with the political trends of their state. The most competitive races tend to be those where the incumbent has retired, and those races in which the incumbent has served only one term are frequently competitive.

Additional special elections that are held due to the death or resignation of Senators in the interim would change the party balances listed above.

[edit]

Retiring Senators

[edit]

Jon Corzine – New Jersey

Corzine, currently the most popular elected official in New Jersey, would probably be easily reelected if he ran, but is a candidate for the 2005 gubernatorial election, and is considered a favorite to win in the general election. If elected, he would likely appoint another Democrat to finish his Senate term, possibly Rep. Rob Andrews, Rep. Bob Menendez, or current acting governor and state senator Richard Codey, leaving the presumed interim Senator comparatively vulnerable in 2006, after only a year in office. Republicans are likely to field a strong candidate with a state-wide organization and name recognition, such as 2001 gubernatorial nominee and 2005 Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Bret Schundler, or 2002 Senate and 2005 gubernatorial nominee Doug Forrester, unless one of them defeats Corzine in the 2005 race. Should Corzine lose the governor's race, he would be likely to finance another major campaign to retain his current office. Republican State Senator Thomas Kean, Jr., the son of the former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean announced on March 25, 2005 that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat regardless of who wins the 2005 race for governor. It has also been reported that current U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Clifford M. Sobel, who is retiring this summer, may run for the Republican Senate nomination.

[edit]

Mark Dayton – Minnesota

Main article : Minnesota U.S. Senate election, 2006

On February 9, 2005, Mark Dayton announced that he would not seek a second term in the Senate, leaving an open seat to be contested.

Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy, the GOP candidate, secured major GOP endorsements and will not face any serious challengers. Kennedy has benefited greatly from high-profile Republicans coming to fund raise for him, including Vice President Dick Cheney in July, 2005.

On the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) side, there are a half-dozen candidates seeking the DFL nomination and endorsement, but only four have declared. The current DFL front runner is Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. Children's advocate Patty Wetterling, who was Kennedy's 2004 unsuccessful Congressional opponent, is also seeking the seat. The relatively unknown real estate mogul Kelly Doran (worth $200+ million) plans to spend about $6 million of his own money to increase his name recognition and seek the nomination. Veterinarian, philanthropist, and heir to a founder of General Mills, Ford Bell has also announced his candidacy. Bell will rely only on contributions to fund his campaigns. Both Wetterling and Klobuchar have promised to abide by a DFL endorsement, but Doran has said he will campaign to the primary regardless of a DFL endorsement and Bell has not stated yet what he'll do. Minneapolis attorney Mike Ciresi, who narrowly lost to Dayton in the 2000 DFL primary, is also considering another bid.

Klobuchar and Kennedy are the only two candidates who have been elected to office.

The only poll taken in this race, which was conducted last February for the Wetterling campaign, shows Patty Wetterling defeating Mark Kennedy 47%-39%, and Amy Klobuchar defeating Kennedy 40%-38%. http://www.pattywetterling.com/

[edit]

Bill Frist – Tennessee

Frist has previously promised to leave the Senate when his second term ends in 2006, and is widely considered to have presidential aspirations for the 2008 election. This will leave an open seat, contested by Democratic candidates Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. and State Senator Rosalind Kurita. Former Reps. Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary, along with Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, are running in the Republican primary.

[edit]

Jim Jeffords – Vermont

Main article : Vermont U.S. Senate election, 2006

Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an independent soon after being re-elected as a Republican in 2000. On April 20, 2005, he declared he would not seek another term, possibly for health reasons. Rep. Bernard Sanders, an independent and self-described socialist, is expected to run with little or no challenge from Democrats for the seat. Former Republican challenger Greg Parke plans to try his hand again, and both Lt. Governor Brian Dubie and businessman Richard Tarrant are considering running. A Research 2000 poll [1] conducted in May showed Sanders with a 40 percent lead over both Dubie and Tarrant.

[edit]

Paul Sarbanes – Maryland

Sarbanes announced on March 11, 2005 that he would retire in 2006 rather than run for re-election. Sarbanes' seat was previously considered safe; Maryland is a Democratic-leaning state. Former NAACP president Kweisi Mfume and Rep. Ben Cardin have announced their candidacies for the Democratic nomination. Most other prominent Maryland Democrats have decided not to run or are not likely to enter the race. Maryland Republicans are attempting to recruit Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who is generally seen as their best chance to capture the seat. Steele is considering his options and is expected to announce his intentions soon.

[edit]

Notable Democratic incumbent races

[edit]

Maria Cantwell – Washington

Cantwell is drawing fire from liberals in Washington for many of her votes during President Bush's first term, including her vote for the Iraq War Resolution and the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice. 2004 gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, widely considered the strongest possible GOP candidate, declined to run. Former CEO of Safeco, Mike McGavick is the only announced GOP candidate. McGavick has a lot of money to self-finance his campaign.

[edit]

Hillary Clinton – New York

Clinton, former First Lady and wife of former president Bill Clinton, is challenged by Republicans Jeanine Pirro and Ed Cox. It is widely speculated and rumored that Clinton will make a bid for the Presidency in 2008. If this is true, winning the Senate race would be crucial. Clinton faces few tough challenges, since she is widely popular in New York, and New York is a mostly Democratic state that went to John Kerry in the 2004 election. According to an April poll from Marist College’s Institute for Public Opinion, Senator Clinton led Pirro 64 percent to 28 percent. In August, a W-N-B-C-Marist College poll showed that Clinton's lead slipped, but remained still strong, at 50 percent to 28 percent.

[edit]

Kent Conrad – North Dakota

Conrad faces the problem of being a Democratic senator in an increasingly Republican Great Plains state, and hopes to avoid the fate of Tom Daschle. Governor John Hoeven, re-elected by a 43-point margin in 2004, is being courted by President Bush to challenge Conrad, and would likely prove a formidable opponent. If Hoeven runs, Conrad will be vulnerable. Otherwise, he is expected to cruise to reelection as junior Senator Byron Dorgan did in 2004. Conrad currently enjoys extremely high approval ratings of over 70%.[2]

[edit]

Bill Nelson – Florida

As the only southern Democrat facing re-election, Nelson will draw major regional attention to this race. Florida also will elect a new governor in 2006, and the cost of two major campaigns in a large state could require that one of the Republican candidates have a high profile. Rep. Katherine Harris, who served as Secretary of State during the 2000 election, is the presumed favorite in a Republican primary. Polls show Nelson with a decent lead and at or over the crucial 50% mark for an incumbent. Top Republicans, including Governor Jeb Bush and those close to President Bush, are trying to find a candidate to oppose Harris in the primary as they fear she will drive up Democratic turn out due to her controversial role in the 2000 election. [3]

[edit]

Notable Republican incumbent races

[edit]

Conrad Burns – Montana

Burns faced a strong challenge from current Governor Brian Schweitzer in 2000, being re-elected by a mere 3% in a state that went for Bush twice by margins of over 20%. This, combined with the increasing strength of the state Democratic party and accusations of ethical issues related to the Jack Abramoff scandal, could make this a competitive race. Burns is also rumored to be considering retirement. State auditor John Morrison has filed papers to run for the Democratic nomination, and popular state senate president Jon Tester has announced his candidacy.

[edit]

Lincoln Chafee – Rhode Island

Chafee, perhaps the most liberal Republican in the Senate, will face a challenge from Cranston mayor Steve Laffey. Currently, the candidates for the Democratic nomination are Secretary of State Matt Brown and former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse. US Reps. Jim Langevin and Patrick J. Kennedy have both chosen not to run.

[edit]

Rick Santorum – Pennsylvania

Main article : Pennsylvania U.S. Senate election, 2006

Santorum is a very conservative member of the Senate in a state that went for John Kerry in 2004 by 2.5 percent. In his last election in the year 2000, Santorum received 7,706 more votes than Al Gore, the Democratic candidate for President, who won Pennsylvania by 4 percent. [4] Santorum ran against US Rep. Ron Klink, a pro-life Democrat from southeastern Pennsylvania. Democrats believe that Santorum's seat is extremely vulnerable, and are making it a priority for a pick-up in 2006. Democrat Bob Casey, Jr., Pennsylvania's state treasurer, announced his candidacy on March 5, 2005. Currently, his only primary opponents are college professor Chuck Pennacchio [5] and Alan Sandals [6]. Polls pitting Casey against Santorum have generally indicated greater support for Casey. [7] A Casey-Santorum race would feature two pro-life candidates, a rarity in major elections.

[edit]

Jim Talent – Missouri

Main article : Missouri U.S. Senate election, 2006

Talent, who was elected to the four remaining years of this term in a 2002 special election, might face a strong Democratic challenge for his seat. Unlike most states, Missouri will not hold an election for governor in 2006, making this the only major statewide race in a traditional battleground state. Talent was elected by a very slim margin, which suggests that he might be vulnerable, and he now has a well-known challenger in Claire McCaskill, Missouri's state auditor and 2004 Democratic gubernatorial candidate. A recent poll by Rasmussen Reports shows both candidates being supported by 46% of Missouri voters.

[edit]

R. Michael DeWine – Ohio

Main article : Ohio U.S. Senate election, 2006

DeWine has low approval ratings and the current Coingate scandal involving the Ohio Republican Party could hurt his re-election chances. Democratic hopes have been raised by the ongoing "Coingate" scandal and the unpopularity of Governor Bob Taft. The senator's son, R. Patrick DeWine, lost the Republican nomination for the Second Congressional District, suggesting DeWine's influence may be waning. DeWine could also face a tough primary challenge from several more conservative Republicans unhappy with his relatively centrist stances including his role as one of the Gang of 14 who intervened to stop a showdown over judicial nominees. One possible opponent could be U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, who would have to risk a safe congressional seat to run, but is reportedly being recruited by several Democratic leaders. U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is also a potential candidate though he is young at age 32. Another potential candidate is lawyer and Iraq War veteran Paul Hackett, who narrowly lost to Jean Schmidt in the 2005 Special election for the second Ohio congressional district, a significant feat for a Democrat in Ohio's most conservative district.

[edit]

Senate contests in 2006

State Incumbent Main Article Party Status Competing candidates

Arizona Jon Kyl Main Article Republican Running for 3rd term Jim Pederson (D)

California Dianne Feinstein Main Article Democratic Running for 3rd full term 

Connecticut Joe Lieberman Main Article Democratic Running for 4th term 

Delaware Tom Carper Main Article Democratic Running for 2nd term Colin Bonini ®

Florida Bill Nelson Main Article Democratic Running for 2nd term Katherine Harris ®

Hawaii Daniel Akaka Main Article Democratic Running for 3rd full term 

Indiana Dick Lugar Main Article Republican Running for 6th term 

Maine Olympia Snowe Main Article Republican Running for 3rd term Jean Hay Bright (D)

Maryland Paul Sarbanes Main Article Democratic Retiring Ben Cardin (D)

Massachusetts Ted Kennedy Main Article Democratic Running for 8th full term 

Michigan Debbie Stabenow Main Article Democratic Running for 2nd term Keith Butler ®

Minnesota Mark Dayton Main Article Democratic Retiring Mark Kennedy ®, Amy Klobuchar (DFL)

Mississippi Trent Lott Main Article Republican Running for 4th term 

Missouri Jim Talent Main Article Republican Running for 1st full term Claire McCaskill (D)

Montana Conrad Burns Main Article Republican Running for 4th term John Morrison, Jon Tester (D)

Nebraska Ben Nelson Main Article Democratic Running for 2nd term Don Stenberg, David Kramer ®

Nevada John Ensign Main Article Republican Running for 2nd term 

New Jersey Jon Corzine Main Article Democratic Running for NJ Governor in 2005 Thomas Kean, Jr. ®, Frank Pallone (D)

New Mexico Jeff Bingaman Main Article Democratic Running for 5th term 

New York Hillary Rodham Clinton Main Article Democratic Running for 2nd term Ed Cox, Jeanine Pirro ®

North Dakota Kent Conrad Main Article Democratic Running for 4th full term 

Ohio Mike DeWine Main Article Republican Running for 3rd term 

Pennsylvania Rick Santorum Main Article Republican Running for 3rd term Bob Casey, Jr. (D)

Rhode Island Lincoln Chafee Main Article Republican Running for 2nd full term Sheldon Whitehouse, Matt Brown (D), Steve Laffey

Tennessee Bill Frist Main Article Republican Retiring Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, Bob Corker ®, Harold Ford, Jr., (D)

Texas Kay Bailey Hutchison Main Article Republican Running for 3rd full term 

Utah Orrin Hatch Main Article Republican Running for 6th term 

Vermont Jim Jeffords Main Article Independent Retiring Bernie Sanders (I), Greg Parke ®

Virginia George Allen Main Article Republican Running for 2nd term 

Washington Maria Cantwell Main Article Democratic Running for 2nd term Mike McGavick ®

West Virginia Robert Byrd Main Article Democratic Running for 9th term 

Wisconsin Herb Kohl Main Article Democratic Running for 4th term 

Wyoming Craig Thomas Main Article Republican Running for 3rd term

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2006 House elections:

U.S. House election, 2006

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This article or section contains information about an upcoming election.

It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content about candidates may change dramatically as the election approaches and more information becomes available.

Elections for the United States House of Representatives will be held on November 7, 2006, with all of the 435 seats in the House being contested. Since Representatives are elected for two-year terms, those elected will serve from January 3, 2007 until January 3, 2009.

The 2006 Senate election is scheduled for the same date as the House election, as well as many state and local elections, including those for 36 state governors.

Contents [hide]

1 Major parties

2 Races to watch

2.1 Retiring Representatives

2.2 Notable incumbent races

[edit]

Major parties

The House is currently composed of 232 Republicans, 202 Democrats, and 1 independent. The independent, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is running for the Senate in 2006, is allied with the Democratic caucus.

The Democrats would need to pick up 16 seats to take control of the House, which has had a Republican majority since 1995.

[edit]

Races to watch

It is not yet clear which seats will have the most competitive races. Past election history indicates that incumbents are difficult to defeat, even when their party affiliation is at odds with the natural tendencies of the district, and that the most competitive races are those where the incumbent retires, followed by those in which the incumbent has served only one term. Besides the elections listed below, it is possible that additional special elections will be held due to the death or resignation of Representatives in the interim. This would also change the party balances listed above.

[edit]

Retiring Representatives

Duke Cunningham (R-CA-50) — Following ethical questions about his dealings with a defense contractor, Cunningham announced on July 14, 2005 that he would not seek a ninth term in the House. This district includes the northern suburbs of San Diego and leans Republican.

Bob Beauprez (R-CO-07) — Beauprez was reelected easily in 2004, but his retirement to run for Governor of Colorado makes this seat very competitive. The 7th District is located in the Denver suburbs. State education chairman Rick O'Donnell leads early polls for the Republicans, while former State Senator Ed Perlmutter leads on the Democratic side.

Mike Bilirakis (R-FL-09) — Bilirakis plans to retire, but few expect this seat to be competitive as it is a heavily Republican district located on Florida's Gulf coast north of Tampa. Bilirakis' son, Gus, has announced that he will run for his father's seat.

Jim Davis (D-FL-11) — Davis is running for governor, and this seat is not expected to be very competitive as it contains heavily Democratic Tampa and South St. Petersburg. Florida State Senate Democratic Leader Les Miller has announced that he will run for the House seat being vacated by Davis.

Katherine Harris (R-FL-13) — Harris is planning to challenge Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat, in 2006, and will vacate her Gulf Coast seat to do so. Polls show she faces an uphill battle in the Senate race, but any Republican likely has the edge to win her congressional district, which is GOP-leaning and based in Sarasota. State Representatives Donna Clark and Nancy Detert are running for the Republican nomination. Sarasota banker and businesswoman Christine Jennings is running for the Democratic nomination.

Butch Otter (R-ID-01) — Otter is running for governor, and his seat, too, is expected to be safe for any Republican. Idaho's 1st contains more or less the western half of the state and is almost 70% Republican. State Comptroller Keith Johnson is among those seeking the seat.

Henry Hyde (R-IL-06) — Hyde is retiring after 16 terms in the House. Christine Cegelis, who mustered 45% of the vote when running against him in 2004, plans to run again as a Democrat, while State Senators Peter Roskam and Carol Pankau are running as Republicans. The district contains some of the western suburbs of Chicago in DuPage and Cook counties.

Jim Nussle (R-IA-01) — Nussle is running for governor as well. His district is Democratic-leaning, and of the open seats so far is probably the most likely to change hands. It contains most of northeastern Iowa including small cities such as Dubuque. State Representative Bill Dix, businessman Mike Whalen, and former state party chairman Brian Kennedy (politician) are running as Republicans, while attorney Bruce Braley and others are running as Democrats.

Ben Cardin (D-MD-03) — Cardin is running for the open Senate seat in Maryland being vacated by Democrat Paul Sarbanes. In the last two elections, Cardin received the lowest vote for any Maryland incumbent Congressman. His House seat is within reach of a strong Republican candidate, but all the candidates to have announced so far (former Baltimore Health Commissioner Peter Beilenson, State Senator Paula Hollinger, and State Delegate Neil Quinten) are Democrats. Thus, this seat is expected to remain a Democratic seat. The district consists of parts of Baltimore City as well as parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Howard Counties. It includes the state capital of Annapolis.

Mark Kennedy (R-MN-06) — Kennedy is running, practically unopposed in the Republican nomination, for the open Senate seat in Minnesota being vacated by Democrat Mark Dayton. His House seat would be considered by many a toss-up if Patty Wetterling, who mustered 46% against Kennedy in 2004, ran for it. However, she seems interested in the Senate as well, and his district, located in exurban Minneapolis and suburban St. Paul, remains Republican-leaning. Candidates for the district include State Senator Michele Bachmann and State Representatives Jim Knoblach and Phil Krinkie.

Tom Osborne (R-NE-03) — Osborne is running for governor, not for Democrat Ben Nelson's Senate seat as some expected. His district, covering western Nebraska, is heavily Republican.

Jim Gibbons (R-NV-02) — Gibbons is running for governor. His wife Dawn has expressed interest in running for his seat, as has Secretary of State Dean Heller. The district, which encompasses the vast majority of rural Nevada, is heavily Republican.

Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06) – Pallone is running for the Senate seat made open by the 2005 gubernatorial run of Democrat Jon Corzine. The district stretches through many beach communities in northeastern New Jersey. It is heavily Democratic.

Major Owens (D-NY-11) — Owens is retiring after 12 terms. His seat should remain Democratic, as it is a heavily African-American one in heavily Democratic New York City in the center of Brooklyn. His son Chris Owens is seeking the seat, but so are state Assemblyman Nick Perry, State Senator Carl Andrews, and New York City Councilmen Yvette Clarke and David Yassky.

Ted Strickland (D-OH-06) — Strickland is running for Governor of Ohio. His seat, stretching across Ohio's eastern edge, from the Kentucky border to the Pennsylvania border, is Republican-leaning and should be competitive. Democratic state Senator Charlie Wilson is planning a run.

Harold Ford Jr. (D-TN-09) — Ford is running for the open Senate seat being vacated by Republican Bill Frist. Though he may face an uphill battle in that race, whichever Democrat chooses to run for his House seat should have little trouble, as the 9th is based in the Democratic stronghold of Memphis.

Bernie Sanders (I-VT-AL) — Sanders, a self-described socialist who represents the state of Vermont, plans to run for the Senate seat being vacated by fellow Independent Jim Jeffords. Sanders is very popular in the state, and his seat should remain in either Independent or Democratic hands, as Vermont voted for John Kerry 59-40 over George W. Bush in 2004. State Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Welsh and his predecessor, Peter Shumlin, are vying for the seat.

Mark Green (R-WI-08) — Green is running for governor like many of his colleagues, and his seat, in rural northeastern Wisconsin, is Republican-leaning, though has elected a Democratic congressman as recently as 1996 and is centered around the cities of Green Bay and Appleton. Assembly Speaker John Gard is seeking the seat as a Republican; businessman Jamie Wall and former De Pere Mayor and Brown County Executive Nancy Nusbaum are seeking the seat as Democrats.

[edit]

Notable incumbent races

It is not clear which incumbents will face difficult or close races. However, based on the results of 2004, we can make a few projections.

First of all, should a Republican mid-decade redistricting effort go through in Georgia, two Democrats, Jim Marshall of the 3rd District (in middle Georgia) and John Barrow of the 12th District (in eastern Georgia), could face tough races. Marshall's district becomes much more Republican under the new redistricting map, while Barrow's becomes slightly more so.

Then, there are incumbents who may be vulnerable for non-redistricting reasons. These include:

John Salazar (D-CO-03) — Salazar was elected in 2004 by a 50-47 margin. The election was generally good to Colorado Democrats, who gained a Senate seat (won by Salazar's brother, Ken), a House seat (this one), and control of the state legislature. But Republicans vow to take back this competitive (though narrowly won by President Bush) seat nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Western Colorado.

Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO-04) — Musgrave, a very conservative Republican who was one of the leading proponents of the Federal Marriage Amendment, won a surprisingly close 51-44 reelection in 2004 despite the Republican-leaning nature of her eastern Colorado district. Her district consisters of all of Eastern Colorado well east of Denver and northeastern Colorado around Fort Collins and Loveland. Musgrave's approval ratings are weak.

Chris Shays (R-CT-04) — Shays won reelection by a 52-48 margin in 2004 and represents a Democratic-leaning district encompassing southwestern Connecticut that includes Bridgeport and Westport. 2004 nominee Diane Farrell is challenging Shays again.

Rob Simmons (R-CT-02) — Simmons won reelection with 54% of the vote in 2004, in a Democratic-leaning district encompassing eastern Connecticut, which includes Norwich and New London. 2002 nominee Joe Courtney is planning another run.

Melissa Bean (D-IL-08) — Bean defeated 35-year House veteran Phil Crane 52-48 in 2004, and is being targeted by Republicans who hope to regain control of the seat. Her seat is Republican-leaning and includes the northern suburbs of Chicago in and around Lake County, Illinois.

Mike Sodrel (R-IN-09) — Sodrel defeated incumbent Baron Hill by only 1,425 votes. Hill is considering an attempt to reclaim his seat.

Leonard Boswell (D-IA-03) — Boswell won a close reelection in 2004 in a very competitive district containing Des Moines and its surrounding areas.

Charlie Melancon (D-LA-03) — In a December 2004 runoff, Melancon squeaked into Congress by a margin of half a percentage point. His district is a Republican-leaning one in the southeast of Louisiana, which may make him vulnerable. However, Louisiana's unique open primary voting system (where everyone runs against everyone else, regardless of party affiliation, and if no one takes 50% then the top two enter a runoff) leaves everything subject to speculation. A potential wild card is the effect of comments made by House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, in which he publicly questioned whether the federal government should rebuild much of the city of New Orleans. The backlash from his comments could benefit Democrats in the state.

John Kline (R-MN-02) — Kline got a relatively easy win in 2004 due to the collapse of his challenger's campaign, but things will likely be very different in 2006. Former FBI Agent Coleen Rowley, who accused the bureau of mishandling pre-9/11 intelligence, is running, as a Democrat, and her presence is already garnering media attention. The 2nd district, south of the Twin Cities, leans Republican but is not out of reach for a Democrat (it was held by Democrat Bill Luther from 1995 until redistricting in 2002 caused his defeat by Kline).

Robin Hayes (R-NC-08) — Hayes was elected for a fourth term in 2004 by a 56% to 44% vote. However, his opponent, Beth Troutman, was a production assistant on the T.V. show The West Wing with no prior experience in office and with only a tiny fraction of the funding Hayes had. For a three-term Republican incumbent with substantial funding, in a Republican-leaning district against such an opponent, 56% to 44% is a remarkably narrow margin. His district consists of a large portion of southern North Carolina east of Charlotte. An issue might be made of Hayes' vote for CAFTA, which could severely hurt textile jobs in his district.

Charles Taylor (R-NC-11) — Taylor won with 55% of the vote in 2004. He will face much tougher competition from former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, a Democrat, in 2006. His district consists of the panhandle of North Carolina around Asheville.

Heather Wilson (R-NM-01) — Wilson has routinely managed narrow reelections since 1998, but in 2006 she may face Patricia Madrid, the popular Democratic Attorney General of New Mexico. Madrid would undoubtedly be a stronger and more recognized candidate than previous challengers to Wilson. The district, centered in Albuquerque, is very competitive and was won by John Kerry.

Jim Gerlach (R-PA-06) — Gerlach won reelection by a 51-49 margin in 2004 and represents a very competitive district in suburban Philadelphia. Lois Murphy, the woman who garnered 49% against him in 2004, is running again.

Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA-08) — Fitzpatrick won in 2004, but his district is very moderate and even slightly Democratic. His views, especially on abortion, are more conservative than those of most people in the Philadelphia suburbs, and that may be an issue for him in 2006. Patrick Murphy has announced his candidacy and is already getting more support from the national Democratic Party than his 2004 counterpart, Ginny Schrader.

Tim Murphy (R-PA-18) — Murphy represents a Republican-leaning district centered around the suburbs of Pittsburgh and won handily in 2004 but, according to rumor, will likely face a strong challenge by popular former state treasurer Barbara Hafer. Hafer, a former Republican, is skipping the 2006 Senate race against Rick Santorum and is being urged to by the DCCC to run against Murphy.

Stephanie Herseth (D-SD-AL) — Herseth was elected to the House in a special election in 2004 and again in the 2004 general election, but owing to South Dakota's heavily conservative electorate and the defeat of fellow Democrat Tom Daschle, her seat is by no means safe. Then again, Herseth is wildly popular, with approval ratings in the 70's.

Chet Edwards (D-TX-17) — Edwards won reelection by a 51-48 margin in 2004 after the Texas redistricting changed his exurban Central Texas district dramatically and made it more Republican. He may be safer in 2006, though.

Tom DeLay (R-TX-22) — DeLay has been facing mounting ethical challenges and corruption charges in recent months, and won reelection by a surprisingly small 55-41 margin in 2004, even though George W. Bush carried the suburban Houston district with 64%. DeLay will face a challenge from former Rep. Nick Lampson, a Democrat whose district he dismantled during the 2003 redistricting, and who may be a formidable candidate. Lampson's former district contained much of the area of DeLay's present district.

Jim Matheson (D-UT-02) — Though Matheson won a close reelection in 2004, his district includes much of heavily Republican southern Utah, but also heavily Democratic Salt Lake City, and he is a regular target of the GOP every election.

Dave Reichert (R-WA-08) — Reichert's district, at the eastern edge of the Seattle metropolitan area, is very competitive, and he won it only 52-48 in 2004.

Jean Schmidt (R-OH-02) — Schmidt's district is traditionally Republican, and has been estimated as the 57th safest Republican seat in the county, but in a special election in 2005 she only narrowly won (by 3.5%) against a strong challenge by Democrat Paul Hackett. The shock narrow margin in a race many took for granted at the outset may make her re-election tougher than normal.

[Ironside]

I love these "impeach Bush" things.

Who controls the Senate?  Who controls the House?  Now tell me who is going to impeach Bush exactly. 

Bush retains strong numbers amongst the rank-and-file GOP. 

If you want to keep banging your head against the wall, be my guest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point!

You're correct. The (partisan) rightwing Senate and rightwing America have proved there's NOTHING that Bush can do to get himself impeached!

Hell, with what's right and what's wrong. It's about partisan politics.

Thanks for clearing that up!

[Toro]

For those who like irony -

Here in Florida, Bill Nelson, the Democratic incumbent, is up for re-election. Nelson is a former astronaut and has been around state politics a long time. He is considered vulnerable in Florida, and with the GOP taking the first of two Florida senate seats last year from the Dems, and winning virtually every other state wide election over the past 6 years, believe they can take it.

The woman leading in the polls for the Republican primary is Katherine Harris - THE Katherine Harris who certified the election results for Bush after the 2000 election fiasco. Harris became a national hero to the GOP, spoke around the country at Republican fundraisers and won a seat in the House in Sarasota in 2002. You would think the White House would get behind her like they did with Mel Martinez in 2004 considering how pivotal Harris was to Bush and how popular she is in the Republican Party. You would think wrong, however. The White House is scrambling here in the state to find an alternative to Harris, but several prominent Republicans have declined. In what is seen as a very winnable seat for the GOP, the White House believes Nelson will beat Harris because she is a lightening rod who appeals only to the party faithful while the rest of the state has a negative opinion of her.

It's about partisan politics.

Right. And you are engaging in partisan politics in the exact same way. To the Bush-haters, everything is Bush's fault.

[Shakeyhands]

Dear ironside

I believe the only way that is going to happen and apparently it is a long shot, at least at the moment, is for the Democrats to regain control of Congress. Do you know the actual impeachment details, votes required, etc., and so what if Bush is impeached, as didn't Clinton get impeached, but stayed on as President? What kind of punishment is that? What was the difference between Nixon's situation, did he just resign, was he impeached, Ford pardonned him didn't he, or what happened there, with the silliness of the, so he likes women, Clinton situation? Careful what you ask for though, do you really want Cheney as prez?

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Clinton had an impeachment hearing but was not impeached.

[BHS]

Clinton had an impeachment hearing but was not impeached.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The fact that there was a hearing means that he was impeached. Look it up in the dictionary.

[Ironside]

I understood when some of the American People called for Bush’s impeachment after invading Iraq. I don't know why... perhaps, I let the rightwing flag-waving peer pressure get to me, but I didn't jump on that bandwagon. SHAME ON ME!

Had we impeached Bush instead of re-electing him (if he REALLY was re-elected… Ohio), perhaps we'd have been more prepared for Hurricane Katrina and who knows, maybe even saved some more lives. Maybe some of our troops would be on their way home from Iraq, by now… saving yet more American lives!

Maybe our Government should be doing more to build a better America, instead of a better Iraq (Good Luck!) with American blood and the American taxpayers money.

You see, I and many Americans like me have been SCREAMING that we MUST fight terror here at home TOO. While it's GREAT we went into Afghanistan, it was a TERRIBLE move to invade Iraq almost alone and tie-up such HUGE number of forces there.

The Iraq War has become a HUGE distraction to the REAL War on Terror (if there really is such a thing), as well as a distraction to homeland security. We, the labeled "haters", have been SCREAMING for better port security, Federal Agents on domestic transportation, better nuclear plant security.

Our National Guard isn't meant to be fighting our overseas battles. They are meant for riots and disasters... natural and man-made. They are meant to protect our homeland. NEVER has our National Guard deployed in the numbers we're seeing today in Iraq. Not even close! We have an Army, Navy, Air force and Marines for that. And, if needed we turn to the Reserves. I suppose the Coast Guard should be deployed to Iraq next, huh?

Though I still support the efforts in Afghanistan because they were harboring those that attacked us.

The reason I said "if there really is such a thing", about the war on terror, is because it's now appearing (to me) to have been all a big scam to invade Iraq. That was Bush's goal all along. And, EXPLOITING 9/11 to make a case for invading Iraq was MORALLY WRONG! I believe Bush invaded Afghanistan for all the WRONG REASONS!

There were no “confirmed” stories of a meeting in Prague with Iraq officials and al Qaeda operatives, as Vice President Dick Cheney said there was. We didn’t “know where they are”, as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had told the American People, of the chemical weapons of mass destruction. There were no chemical drones. No mushroom clouds. No shopping for uranium in Africa. No tons of chemical weapons. This was ALL HYPE. All scare tactics used on a society that had been viscously attacked, the year before. Stacked allegations, exaggerations and EXPLOITATIONS!

I honestly believe George Walker Bush ran for President in 2000 to invade Iraq!

He's had his sights on Saddam Hussein from the start!

Hey... got duct tape?

[mirror]

What does impeachment mean if the president remains in office even after she/he is impeached?

And Nixon resigned before he was impeached.

All very confusing to me.

[newbie]

What does impeachment mean if the president remains in office even after she/he is impeached?

And Nixon resigned before he was impeached.

All very confusing to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This might help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment#United_States

[Ironside]

The United States National Guard

Prior to the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, the National Guard's policy regarding deployment was that Guardsmen would be required to serve no more than six months over seas at any time. Due to strains placed on active duty units following the attacks, the possible deployment time was increased to 18 months. Additional strains placed on military units as a result of the invasion of Iraq further increased the amount of time a Guardsman could be deployed to 24 months. Current DOD policy is that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six year enlistment period.

The Source

Had we stayed out of Iraq or invaded with a REAL coalition, there would be NO STRAINS on our Military.

Bush KNEW that!

Here's what he said when applying to the American People for the job of Commander in Chief...

"If we don't stop extending our troops all around the world and nation building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem coming down the road, and I'm going to prevent that.... ....I don't want to be the world's policeman, I want to be the world's peacemaker."

George W. Bush - Gore/Bush Presidential Debate

October 3, 2000

Where's the OUTRAGE?

[Shakeyhands]

Clinton had an impeachment hearing but was not impeached.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The fact that there was a hearing means that he was impeached. Look it up in the dictionary.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok I have, there was an Impeachment hearing and despite the witchhunt, he was aquited therefore not impeached.

[Shakeyhands]

The United States National Guard

Prior to the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, the National Guard's policy regarding deployment was that Guardsmen would be required to serve no more than six months over seas at any time. Due to strains placed on active duty units following the attacks, the possible deployment time was increased to 18 months. Additional strains placed on military units as a result of the invasion of Iraq further increased the amount of time a Guardsman could be deployed to 24 months. Current DOD policy is that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six year enlistment period.

The Source

Had we stayed out of Iraq or invaded with a REAL coalition, there would be NO STRAINS on our Military.

Bush KNEW that!

Here's what he said when applying to the American People for the job of Commander in Chief...

"If we don't stop extending our troops all around the world and nation building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem coming down the road, and I'm going to prevent that.... ....I don't want to be the world's policeman, I want to be the world's peacemaker."

George W. Bush - Gore/Bush Presidential Debate

October 3, 2000

Where's the OUTRAGE?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think its pretty much been proven that Bush will/would say anything to get in power. And like most politicians promises and such go right out the window, shouldn't be that big of a surprise. Same deal with Harper, I laugh everytime I see one of his new healthcare ads, I know as soon as he gets in that we will have 2 tier healthcare to look forward to... Same old, same old.