The Dems no longer have a southern option
Since 1960 the only Democrats elected President have been from the south. One of the results of this week's election is that the Democrats southern bench has been further shrunk. With the loss of all five southern senate races the Democrats pool of candidates from the south just got much smaller and is likely to continue to shrink.
There are now no Democrats who hold statewide office in Texas. In other southern states the same thing is happening to the Democrat party. In 2002 Georgia threw out most of its statewide Democrats. While Tennessee and Virginia have Democrat governors neither has flashed any star power. Tennessee elected a Democrat after the last Republican governor acted like a Democrat on the tax issue. In Virginia, Mark Warner won by spending some of his fortune on boosting his ego with a governorship added to his resume.
Lousiana recently elected a Democrat in a race with Republican Bobby Jindel. This week Jindel won a House seat with nearly 80 percent of the vote.
There are now only four Democrat senators in what used to be the solid south. Two are from Arkansas, one from Lousiana and one from Florida. Sen. Nelson from Florida should expect a strong challenge from the very popular Katherine Harris who probably would have defeated the winner Mel Martinez in this years primary if she had not been persuaded to wait.
What this means is that Democrats are going to have to continue to rely on northeastern liberals or west coast lefties, none of which is likely to appeal to the red states in between. Also in the northeast two of the biggest state governorships are controled by Republicans--New York and Massachusett, and on the west coast California now has a Republican governor. That leaves them with most of their potential candidate having a small base.
Many democrats are talking up Hillary Clinton, but she would start with high negatives and the burden Kerry had of defending numerous senate votes.
Since 1960 the only Democrats elected President have been from the south. One of the results of this week's election is that the Democrats southern bench has been further shrunk. With the loss of all five southern senate races the Democrats pool of candidates from the south just got much smaller and is likely to continue to shrink.
There are now no Democrats who hold statewide office in Texas. In other southern states the same thing is happening to the Democrat party. In 2002 Georgia threw out most of its statewide Democrats. While Tennessee and Virginia have Democrat governors neither has flashed any star power. Tennessee elected a Democrat after the last Republican governor acted like a Democrat on the tax issue. In Virginia, Mark Warner won by spending some of his fortune on boosting his ego with a governorship added to his resume.
Lousiana recently elected a Democrat in a race with Republican Bobby Jindel. This week Jindel won a House seat with nearly 80 percent of the vote.
There are now only four Democrat senators in what used to be the solid south. Two are from Arkansas, one from Lousiana and one from Florida. Sen. Nelson from Florida should expect a strong challenge from the very popular Katherine Harris who probably would have defeated the winner Mel Martinez in this years primary if she had not been persuaded to wait.
What this means is that Democrats are going to have to continue to rely on northeastern liberals or west coast lefties, none of which is likely to appeal to the red states in between. Also in the northeast two of the biggest state governorships are controled by Republicans--New York and Massachusett, and on the west coast California now has a Republican governor. That leaves them with most of their potential candidate having a small base.
Many democrats are talking up Hillary Clinton, but she would start with high negatives and the burden Kerry had of defending numerous senate votes.
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