GOP Senate Committee Director: "We Have No Safe Seats Right Now"

Kansas hasn't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since the Great Depression.

Through 13 presidents and five wars, Republicans have held its two seats for 76 unbroken years -- the longest streak in the nation.

But today's political climate could weaken their grip.

"The Republican brand is really bad in many parts of the country, with Kansas being better than many, but still not good," said Scott Bensing, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "It's not a top-tier race, but it's one of those where, should Democrats come into a bunch of money, it'd be a race."

...

"We have no safe seats right now," he said. "In a normal election year, we would not be concerned at all. But those are the cards we're dealt. We're not taking any states for granted."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[UnbiasView]

I would be shocked that any seat would be safe on either side, a 9% approval rating isn't left or right . . . it's pathetic and they are all the worst of the worse.

[DRaymond]

"The Republican brand is really bad in many parts of the country, with Kansas being better than many, but still not good," said Scott Bensing, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

That isn't a statement about the problem, that IS the problem.

A polital philosophy is not a 'brand'. It is not a name and a bunch of slogans and some images. It is a way of trying to run the country in a way that will be better, But all they felt they had to do was keep repeating their Ronald Reagan inspierd slogans and trot out the usual scapegoats and never deliver anything. The republicans aren't going to get anywhere until they stop thinking of themselves as a 'brand' and get back to thinking of themselves as a cause and fulfilling on that cause for real people.

[lthuedk_1]

Senator Roberts did everything in his power to roadblock the 9/11 Commission.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/flying_moles_over_dc.html

http://thinkprogress.org/roberts-coverup/

Why did Senator Roberts act like a traitor?

[Raymondf]

Don't worry Mr. bensing, you won't need them.

[lisakaz2]

They did it to themselves. And yet the conjobs seem surprised. Guess they did think Orwell was a perfect model.

[emory]

its Ok people no matter who wins their evangalist god has seen their KARMA and he is recalling all the show jobs to burn in hell, so if we don't vote them out its OK because judgement day is at hand and they will be judged

[FlyTheBlueSky]

Unfortunately, comments like this mean nothing: the Democratic Party has proven to be extraordinarily skilled at losing elections in the face of near guaranteed victory. Nothing has changed within the party and this election is no different.

I think "bipartisanship" is a word that means "Democratic suckers!".

[Paul]

The Republicans are at least realistic.

I would not vote for any incumbant - Republican or Democrat.

We need new people in Congress - its just that simple.

[MsLiz]

So you would vote against Senator Wellstone if you lived in his state? or Dennis Kucinich if you lived in his district?

[totaldisbelief]

The GOP is now Poison to America

[bayside]

Bush could not have destroyed all he did without Roberts ..I will do a dance if he is defeated....Course Bush could not have accomplished all he intended to do wither, without our media...Wonder what they got..

[lisakaz2]

No. Hold off till the inaugeration. I don't trust Booo$hie to leave.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Not even the seat in the Minneapolis Airport?

[danoj]

Duh, he just figure this out. Repubs are going to lose and lose big, but not to worry the Dems control congress now and there approval rate is at like 9 last I saw; that number isn't going to get any better no matter who's in the White House. The Dem leadership is way out there in left field and they aren't going to move to the center where the majority of the country is. Bottom line the Dems will manage to screw it up even worse. gas prices are going to hit 7 bucks a gallon before it's all said and done, no Bush to blame and Dems will fully controll both houses. Enjoy the mess Dems you majority will be short lived.

[Nyland8]

It's a fascinating fantasy you've got there. You don't even grasp that the doom-sayers are in your own party. The Dem leadership isn't out in left field - it's out in right field, and the reason it's as unpopular as the Republicans is because it isn't any different. The low approval rating come from voting the same as the current administration.

Where've you been? How'd you miss that?

The American people are hungry for reforms - and reforms can only come with new leadership and a new mandate ... which means that when both houses are filled with a majority of new Dems and Obama is in the White House, real change, satisfying change, can finally be realized.

In the best case scenario, if they take as many seats as can be expected, then we'll know what the approval ratings are for Congress shortly before the '10 elections.

Until then, it'll just be cleaning house.

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[Nyland8]

That seat has a hole in it.

8

[CtJean]

Nyland8

I am LMFAO!

I needed that! Thanks

[HarryParatestis]

The American public will flush the GOP not like 1974, but like 1930.

[jayelo]

http://us.f836.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download/us/ShowLetter?box=Inbox&MsgId=3210_6356502_61980_2253_363319_0_61736_484934_3935415845&bodyPart=2&YY=71869&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&Idx=0

[MsLiz]

Try snipurl or tinyurl next time. All I got was a Yahoo intro page.

[hnealehcn]

One man and his folowers damaged the Republicans' image from all angles. There is a possibilty the Republicans have a better image after half a century and more. For almost eight years they were living on lies.

[texanna]

This comment smacks of the line from "Song of the South" where Brer Rabbit pleads not to be thrown into the briar patch! I do hope that Democrats don't get so tied up in the Pres race that they forget the down ticket offices that really make the difference. I certainly hope that the 50-state strategy that Dean and Obama keep talking about includes getting Senators and Representatives elected, because without more progressives as Senators and Representatives we're not going to get much of that "Change!" we're all agog about. If you don't have any progressive candidates running in your state or district, check out Christie Harden-Smith's Blue America project. They have listed the truly progressive candidates across the country and set up a mechanism whereby you can donate to their campaigns even if they aren't in your state or district.

[Nyland8]

Amen.

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[Nyland8]

This is exactly why we must support Obama wholeheartedly - without reservation or equivocation. Because on his coattails will ride the truly progressive Democrats that we need in office to make the changes that will save our country.

In my district, Camile Abate is running for congress, and high voter turnout for Obama will assure her win.

http://www.abate08.com/

In nearby Morris County, my friend Tom Wyka will need high registration and record voter turnout to take his seat in an historically staunch Republican stronghold.

http://www.tomwyka.com/

Multiply these two truly progressive candidates by dozens of races across the country, and you start to get the sense of what's really at stake. Huge Democratic voter turnout translates into huge coattails for down-ticket candidates to ride into office on. If the polls the day before election day predict an Obama win by 40 points, work like hell to make it a 41 point victory - and don't stop until the polls are all closed. Barack's power to change anything in Washington is directly proportional to his mandate.

Turn Obama's coattails into comet tails - and on November 4th, a new era of American politics will be written across the night sky.

8

[lthuedk_1]

A world without militant globalists, with freedom for all, where individuals matter again, is imperative:

http://www.light-to-dark.com/happy_holidays.html

[texanna]

Nyland8, in the words of your guy, Sen. Obama, you are the change you've been waiting for. Sen. Obama is not going to get anybody elected -- you are! Don't count on what he will do, find somebody in your state or district to support who will work for a progressive agenda in the Senate or the House and then you do something to get that candidate elected. If not there, then go online and give some money to a candidate highlighted by the Blue America Project who is struggling.

[Nyland8]

Points taken. I do. But have you done much GOTV work? I have. The biggest turnout numbers always come in a year with presidential candidates - and big, sweeping popular candidates have coattails. That's the truth. When people are cold on the top of the ticket, they're simply less likely to vote at all. When the voter turnout is high, Dems win. That's the way it's been here, back East where I live, for my whole life. We call them 1/4s - or one in fours - because they only vote once every four years. And that's if you're lucky. That's if it's not raining that day. That's if they're not programing their TiVo that day.

I don't expect Obama to be a savior. But I know damned well that if he pulls high numbers on election day, the down ticket Dems have a much better shot of being carried into office. That's what the data shows.

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[MsLiz]

I hate to bear bad news, but Abate has a concession statement on her website. Looks like she lost the primary.

[Nyland8]

That is a loss ... all of ours. Her recorded message still states that she's running for Congress. I guess they haven't updated that yet. I'm not familiar with the nominee, so I can't vouch for him. I know Camille and she is a Constitutional scholar and progressive down to her bones. She published a pamphlet on the Bill of Rights - perhaps you can find it on line.

But it all just serves to make my point. While BHO might be ahead in the polls - and will probably win - there are so many other candidates that must be supported from the grass roots up. And the bigger the turnout on 11/4, the greater the number that will be swept in.

Thanks for taking the time to check the website. I was so confident that she would win the nomination, I never even confirmed it after the primary.

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[Sparty1]

It's still amazing to me that Bush is still a fundraising machine. I mean it's all because of him that that once powerful Repub brand is seriously in the toilet. They still love this buffoon and they really aren't calling him out on his failures. Unbelievable. I think he's going to lose more seats than Bill Clinton.