If Giffords runs for the Senate, should the GOP let her go unopposed?

[krazen1211]

Remember Max Cleland in 2002?

That said, if Giffords would run for Senate (extremely unlikely, at best she'll run for re-election to AZ-8), the GOP would certainly nominate and campaign, but hopefully would focus on her positions, and not attack her personally.

That crazy Giffords might cause a nuclear holocaust.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwrlKI1CpQY

[krazen1211]

Reagan: shot by a madman and very close to death.

Giffords: shot by a madman and very close to death.

Oh, I know why they were completely different: because of the political parties of the victims. Got it.

I would have brought up Ford, but that was slightly different. He was shot at by a liberal trying to make a political statement.

[krazen1211]

Guys, I can't believe we're having this discussion again.

The topic was interesting before veering off topic; the idea of a potential sympathy factor is something we could debate. Remember 2000 Missouri?

That's a good point, but lets remember than Ashcroft was considered vulnerable for that entire cycle, and that polling was close even before Mel Carnahan died, and of course that Carnahan was more popular than Ashcroft was in terms of approval rating and whatnot. More importantly, 2 years later, Jean Carnahan lost.

It's entirely possible that some possible potential sympathy factor might have been there, but overall the results seem to be dictated by political realities to me.

I have to wonder how MO democrats would have voted had they known that Ashcroft would become Attorney General if he lost. Better damage control to keep him in the Senate.