Lynch is out

[Lunar]

By the way, Gregg isn't fully committed to running for reelection
http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0109/Gregg_running_again_in_2010.html?showall

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), one of the few elected Republicans left in New England, is leaving himself a bit of wiggle room for 2010.

“We should be focused on governing, not running,” Gregg told CSPAN’s Newsmakers program, which was recorded Thursday afternoon but will air on Sunday. “I have said I plan to run.”

Politico reporter Martin Kady II participated in the program, along with Washington Post reporter Shailagh Murray.

Gregg would be a natural target for Democrats in the 2010 cycle, and has maintained he is running. But when he was pressed further on his challenge in running in New Hampshire, which has transformed into a completely Democratic state, Gregg demurred.

“Let’s worry about the election a year from now, or a year and a half from now,” Gregg said.

Gregg is a powerful figure in the Senate, and his family name is huge in New Hampshire – his father was governor of the state – but he is already being talked up as a serious target in 2010 should he run. Several of Gregg’s other GOP Senate colleagues, including Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio and Mel Martinez of Florida, have already announced retirement plans.

We’ll take Gregg at his word for now that he “plans to run,” but will note that his statements leave some wiggle room if he changes his mind.

[Brittain33]

It sounds as if he could be scared into retirement by a strong Democratic challenger. Instinctively I would give Gregg an advantage as an incumbent, but if I were him, I would not want to spend the next year defending Tom Coburn's and Mitch McConnell's ideologies against Barack Obama's in New Hampshire and running on a platform of obstructing Obama's initiatives.

Gregg has had a relatively easy political career up until now. Why sign up for a grueling contest which may not even be worth winning for him? Maybe he could decide to go back and run for governor instead when Lynch moves on. It's much easier to be a NH Republican in NH than Washington these days, given the changes in the national party.

[Lunar]

I expect he'll decide once he sees his own poll numbers for exactly that reason.

[Aizen]

This sucks. I wanted to take out the last major Republican in that state.

[Brittain33]

This sucks. I wanted to take out the last major Republican in that state.

Daily Kos had a front page story celebrating this achievement. Lynch was a false hope and not a good one.

I've never bought into the cult of Lynch. He's like Freudenthal. He's not aligned with the Democratic party, which is why he's been so successful and popular a governor. He never showed any interest in the Senate or federal Democratic politics.

I am neither surprised nor disappointed, and given our advantages in the Senate, I'd rather see us elect good and effective senators than pin our hopes on messiah candidates to take out the Republican without us considering what kind of Senator they'd turn out to be.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

This sucks. I wanted to take out the last major Republican in that state.

Daily Kos had a front page story celebrating this achievement. Lynch was a false hope and not a good one.

I've never bought into the cult of Lynch. He's like Freudenthal. He's not aligned with the Democratic party, which is why he's been so successful and popular a governor. He never showed any interest in the Senate or federal Democratic politics.

I am neither surprised nor disappointed, and given our advantages in the Senate, I'd rather see us elect good and effective senators than pin our hopes on messiah candidates to take out the Republican without us considering what kind of Senator they'd turn out to be.

He's a fiscal conservative and social liberal, which is pretty much a perfect fit for New Hampshire. He probably doesn't want to go to Washington and have to start voting on pork and omnibus bills and whatnot.

[Lunar]

Well, if he opposes the economic stimulus and sides with Mitch and against Obama over that, I doubt New Hampshire will be upset. 

It sounds as if he could be scared into retirement by a strong Democratic challenger. Instinctively I would give Gregg an advantage as an incumbent, but if I were him, I would not want to spend the next year defending Tom Coburn's and Mitch McConnell's ideologies against Barack Obama's in New Hampshire and running on a platform of obstructing Obama's initiatives.

[Lunar]

Well, if he opposes the economic stimulus and sides with Mitch and against Obama over that, I doubt New Hampshire will be upset. 

It sounds as if he could be scared into retirement by a strong Democratic challenger. Instinctively I would give Gregg an advantage as an incumbent, but if I were him, I would not want to spend the next year defending Tom Coburn's and Mitch McConnell's ideologies against Barack Obama's in New Hampshire and running on a platform of obstructing Obama's initiatives.

Shaheen, for example, was one of the few Democrats to vote against the release of 350 billion to Obama.  Despite staging campaigns furiously railing against the bailout, Merkeley, both Udalls, and Hagan all supported the release of the funds. 

[Democratic Hawk]