« Will Republicans Use Footage Of Wright In Attack Ads? They Won't Say... | Home | Poll: Elizabeth Dole Retakes Big Lead In North Carolina »

NRSC Head: Losing Three Senate Seats Would Be "Terrific"

The Republican Senator in charge of the party's coordinated effort this Fall has clarified exactly what their goal is: It would be a "terrific night" to lose three seats.

"I think it would be a great night, especially, [to lose] three seats -- that would be a terrific night for us, absolutely," NRSC chairman John Ensign told a lunch hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. "I don't want to slip below the four-seat loss -- that's kind of where we set our absolute worst goal, is to be down to 45 seats."

Ensign took some heat a few days ago when he set the GOP's goal at only losing eight seats or less -- which would put Dems ahead in the Senate 59-41 as a worst case scenario for the GOP.

So Ensign has now gone from a worst-case goal of 59-41 to 55-45. Does this mean things are improving?


22 Comments

| Leave a comment

Under either scenario, auf wiedersehen Sen Lieberman.

So, which 3 seats is he writing off? He should let those Senators know, so they can start packing their stuff up now.

user-pic

Well, John Warner is already packing, and I doubt VA GOP candidate Jim Gilmore is going to be making any non-refundable deposits with a moving company... ;-)

Election Projection has them losing six Senate seats right now - Warner in Virginia, Sununu in New Hampshire, the open seats Colorado and New Mexico, and two semi-surprises, McConnell in Kentucky and Wicker in Mississippi!!

So Ensign has now gone from a worst-case goal of 59-41 to 55-45. Does this mean things are improving?

No, it means when you talk about losing eight seats, what donors in their right mind are going to give you money?

user-pic
So Ensign has now gone from a worst-case goal of 59-41 to 55-45. Does this mean things are improving?

I think his wording lets the truth slip. 55-45 can't very well be both the "absolute worst" and "Terrific." That suggests these bracket the range of expected outcomes, rather than expressing true (delusional) happy-talk about the worst case.

Right. Maybe the idea is that 41 is what they're considering success, but 45 would be better than their goal, "terrific".

user-pic

O yeah, things are really looking up for the Repukes.

LOLOLOLOL!!!!!

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of perverts, crooks, wack jobs and fascists.

:)

No, Ensign has always maintained that the best Republicans will do is lose four Senate seats. Ensign has never said that the best Senate Republicans can do is lose eight seats; he said that was his goal -- not best case scenario. Still, a setting a four Senate seat loss as defeating expectations amounts to the "soft bigotry of low expectations."

Sadly he'll be around, just not in a majority committee asignment of note...

user-pic

Any news of the Republicans holding or gaining any seat in the Senate match-ups this year is bad news. While I recognize that the chance that the Democrats will gain a shut out in the Senate is improbable, it remains a fervent hope and desire of mine.

It would be sad if the Republicans retained any hope of continued survival . . .

This is GREAT NEWS for:

Did anyone else just hear Pat Buchanan refer to Barack Obama as "exotic" on Abrams' show?!?

I'm frickin' seething!

He meant erotic...what a jerk.

Buchanan is not worth your anger.

I will be satisfied with 67.

user-pic

The Dems will take a minimum of 5 from the GOP. It could be as many as 11. If we get all 11....Hello super majority, f**k you Joe Leiberman.

easy wins:
Mark Begich in AK (ted stevens r.i.p)
Mark Udall in CO (wayne allard - smart to retire)
Tom Udall in NM (domenici - out to pasture)
Jeanne Shaheen sends Sununu home-home in NH
Mark Warner takes the seat of retiring John Warner

within reach now:
Bruce Lunsford dumps Mitch McConnell in KY
Ronnie Musgrove beats Roger Wicker in MS (spec election)

longer shots, but still possible:
Al Franken in MN
Kay Hagan in NC
Andrew Rice upsets complete douche Inhofe in OK
Jeff Merkley beats psuedo-moderate G Smith in OR

In 2006, Dems won 24 races, GOP won 9. I would expect more of the same in 08.

user-pic

I'd add to the within reach:

Maine, Collins isn't polling that well and Allen is very popular. Good shot.

Texas, Cornyn is a putz and Noriega is polling really well. Add in a huge hispanic turnout and bye, bye Cornyn. Texas might even go blue in this election with obama. Wouldn't that be a hoot.

Just a little cushion. 60 without traitor joe is totally doable.

user-pic


Texas might even go blue in this election with obama..

No way in hell Obama wins Texas.

He'd win McCain's home state before he won Texas.


user-pic

Bet you a lunch. It's totally not out of reach. Game on? It would truly be poetic justice if texas went blue after the tragedy of the last 7 years. Toooo Funny, and worth a lunch.

user-pic

The Republicans don't want to admit it and the Democrats don't want to appear too confident, but come 2009 the Democrats are going to have a president in the White House and a filabuster-proof Senate. Imagine all the possibilities.

Talk about your "soft bigotry of low expectations"

Leave a comment

Advertise Liberally
Share
Close Social Web Email

"To" Email Address

Your Name

Your Email Address