Old GOPers Coming Out of Retirement to Run in November

After the Scott Brown win, a few conservatives waxed optimistically about a possible Republican senate takeover. Now, less than a month later, everyone in the mainstrean media is talking about the prospect. "Republicans are solidly ahead to take at least five seats now held by Democrats — in North Dakota, Delaware, Nevada, Arkansas and Pennsylvania. Five more are now considered winnable — Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and even liberal New York. Two other races, in California and Washington, are tightening daily." The beaten up Bush-league-era oldtimers are coming out of the woodwork to challenge Democratic incumbents. The uncontested New York seat appears to no longer be so. It looks like George Pataki will challenge the tepidly-received Clinton replacement, Kirsten Gillibrand, for the senate seat from New York. Why shouldn't he? He's polling 2.7% ahead of her and he hasn't even entered the race yet! Similarly, in Wisconsin, Democratic Senator Russ Feingold is faced with a real contest against Tommy Thompson before he's even entered the race. The most recent poll from Rasmussen Reports found Thompson leading Feingold by 47 to 43. Independent voters favored Mr. Thompson 53 percent to 36 percent, the survey found. In Illinois, Obama's former seat is being courted by moderate Republican Rep. Mark Steven Kirk. Kirk is running strongly against any likely Democratic opponent. In Colorado, the latest poll by Daily Kos, a liberal site, reported a one-point edge to freshman Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, but recent polls by Rasmussen show former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, a Republican, with a 12-point lead over the incumbent. In fact, all of the races that were considered safe for the Democrats are suddenly in play when a seat in California is in jeopardy. Still, many Democratic cheerleaders say that the election is months away, and Republicans would have to hold each of their 18 seats and pick up 10 of 16 contested Democratic seats. I'll admit, it's a formidable challenge, but I predict that the Obama administration's refusal to change course will propel them to take the Senate in November.