ME-SEN: Dem Tom Allen Considering Run Against Collins
With Senate Democrats looking to consolidate their midterm gains in 2008, the latest Senate seat being eyed for a possible Dem pick-up is in blue territory currently held by a Republican. Roll Call reports (paid subscription) that Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine, has said he is "seriously considering" a run for U.S. Senate against moderate GOPer Susan Collins. Allen, who voted against the war in 2002, has spent only half of the more than $930,000 he raised in the last cycle — leaving him with a warchest for a statewide run that rivals the cash on hand held by Collins.
Should Allen run, and Collins seek re-election, he will reportedly base his campaign around two central issues. First, he will take Collins to task for breaking the pledge she made in 1996 to only serve two terms. And he will argue that the liberal-leaning voters of his New England state should not be sending a Senator to Washington who would empower the Republican leadership there. It worked for Rhode Island Senator-Elect Sheldon Whitehouse.
Collins's reputation for integrity took another hit when The Hill revealed she was one of the Senators who knifed Lamar Alexander (R-TN) in the back in the minority whip race, flipping her vote to Lott at the last second. If she runs again, she'll have that chestnut to ad to her violation of a voluntary term limits pledge.
December 7, 2006 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Allen would certainly get netroots backing. There must be a lot of Democrats who were offended by the smug, smarmy Collins going to Connecticut to campaign with Lieberman and her post-election comments about how "delicious" it was that he won.
December 7, 2006 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's possible, though, that this is merely an attempt to bluff Collins into keeping her word. I question whether Allen at age 63 will want to bet his career on a race against Collins, when he could continue in the House and perhaps run for governor in 2010.
December 7, 2006 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
At age 63, he should be well prepared to take a political risk. Collins will have Iraq around her neck still.
We need a great candidate! If we don't win a Senate seat now, we have to wait until 2012 for another shot at Snowe and 2014 for Collins.
Snowe is probably the tougher of the two, so hopefully we can get someone who wouldn't take her on this year to step up and take on Collins in '08.
December 11, 2006 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink