Massachusetts Senate 2008: Ogonowski testing a challenge to Kerry?

[Adlai Stevenson]

by: FrankSkeffington
Sun Nov 18, 2007 at 20:25:01 PM EST

(I don't see that going very well for them... - promoted by Charley on the MTA)

I just got off the phone minutes ago with a poll questioner who was clearly testing a challenge by failed Republican Congressional candidate Jim Ogonowski against John Kerry.  Maybe it's a branch of the DC Republicans trying to recruit Jim, but it's more likely something that Ogo campaign and the state party are underwriting.

It was clearly a "professional" poll, in that it first pre qualified me as a likely voter, then asked some presidential questions before spending that last half of the poll asking about Kerry and Ogo.  Starting out with favorability opinions, to describing Candidate X that fit Ogo to a T and asking my opinion of them, to testing negative themes about Kerry (tax raising, gov spending liberal who is rich and is not in tune with voters), to retesting Jim's last campaign.

Ogo couldn't hold a candle to a first-time candidate like Tsnogas and he thinks he did so well that we can hunt bigger fish. 

http://www.bluemassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=9473

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I think it's a terrific fit for Ogonowski.  It's not like he can win anything here in Massachusetts, so he might as well give the voters their first real choice in U.S. Senate candidates since 1996.

[Brittain33]

He'll get crushed, and not in a good career-building way. If he wants a career in politics, he should consider starting at the State Senate or something else he could actually compete in.

I agree this state needs political competition, particularly now that Mitt isn't setting the tone with his pre-Presidential sunbelt Republicanism, but I don't see that Ogonowski is the guy to do it. He was lucky to run against a weak candidate who busted out of a divisive primary. It's like Paul Hackett but without half the political skills.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Paul Hackett had political skills now?  None that I could see.

[Mr.Phips]

Ogonowski probably has a better chance in this race than he does in MA-05 in a Presidential year. 

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Ogonowski probably has a better chance in this race than he does in MA-05 in a Presidential year. 

That's not saying much, but yeah, at least Kerry has perceivable negatives.

[MarkWarner08]

Paul Hackett had political skills now?  None that I could see.

He did win 48% in a blood red district. Then again, Wulsin won 49% just over a year later...

[WalterMitty]

I think it's a terrific fit for Ogonowski.  It's not like he can win anything here in Massachusetts, so he might as well give the voters their first real choice in U.S. Senate candidates since 1996.

^^^

[Eraserhead]

He will be blown away by the scarecrow.