Senate Majority Leader

[qwerty]

Frist has got to go. I want Trent Lott back. If not him, Rick Santorum.

[Keystone Phil]

Santorum will run after Frist retires (in 2006) and yes the GOP will still have a majority in the Senate.

[Rococo4]

I think Daschle is done as Dem leader win or lose for him and his party in the 04 senate elections......rumor is chris dodd of CT would run to replace him, or daschles prefered man Harry Reid.  any thoughts?  maybe this should be under the thread "Senate Minority Leader"

[TeePee4Prez]

Santorum will run after Frist retires (in 2006) and yes the GOP will still have a majority in the Senate.

Hehe, if Hoeffel, Hafer, or Casey don't unseat him!

[Keystone Phil]

Santorum will run after Frist retires (in 2006) and yes the GOP will still have a majority in the Senate.

Hehe, if Hoeffel, Hafer, or Casey don't unseat him!

Hoeffel unseating Santorum? BIG maybe. Santorum would be favored.

Hafer unseating Santorum? Ok I won't even waste my time on this one...

Casey unseating Santorum? Possibility. Problem is: He doesn't want to run for Senate.

[Ben.]

Lamar Alexander would be a good Republican leader in the senate, Santorum would be way to polarising to be effective about a quarter of republicans in the senate would be in permanent opposition to him… so in the end someone between the two so say Kit Bond? Yeah I’d go with Bond for the GOP.

For the Democrats, hmm… well I’ve been saying for some time that Daschle needs to go, Reid or Dodd would be fine, Nelson has not really been a senator long enough, but Blanche Lincoln could be very good IMHO.  

[Keystone Phil]

I think Daschle is done as Dem leader win or lose for him and his party in the 04 senate elections......rumor is chris dodd of CT would run to replace him, or daschles prefered man Harry Reid.  any thoughts?  maybe this should be under the thread "Senate Minority Leader"

Daschle will lose this November but even if he wins, he won't be Dem leader anymore. Reid and Dodd would be favored for Minority leader but I'm going to say Dick Durbin (Illinois) will be chosen.

[Ben.]

I think Daschle is done as Dem leader win or lose for him and his party in the 04 senate elections......rumor is chris dodd of CT would run to replace him, or daschles prefered man Harry Reid.  any thoughts?  maybe this should be under the thread "Senate Minority Leader"

Daschle will lose this November but even if he wins, he won't be Dem leader anymore. Reid and Dodd would be favored for Minority leader but I'm going to say Dick Durbin (Illinois) will be chosen.

Firstly Daschle is probably going to eek out a win, looking at the polls, of course he may lose but he has a slight edge IMHO.

Secondly, Durbin is far to Liberal to become Minority leader, the likes of Bayh, Reid, Dodd, Landrieu, Lincoln, Bowles, Levin, Nelson, Daschle, Dorgan, Conrad, Johnson, Kohl etc… not one of them would vote for Durbin to be minority leader, if Kerry loses then the southern moderate wing of the party will be in ascendancy as it was after the defeat of  Dukakis in 88, and if Kerry wins these senators will still not back Durbin who’s is one of the most liberal democrats in the senate. Dodd, Reid, Nelson and perhaps Lincoln may all run for the post and all could well win, I’d probably say that Dodd had the best shot at this stage though. As for the House, the blue dogs have been moving to oust Nancy Pelosi at the slightest opportunity there may well be more blue dogs come the next congress and its very possible that Harold Ford will challenge Pelosi, she’s so liberal and so useless that it’ll happen sooner or later IMHO.

[Keystone Phil]

I think Daschle is done as Dem leader win or lose for him and his party in the 04 senate elections......rumor is chris dodd of CT would run to replace him, or daschles prefered man Harry Reid.  any thoughts?  maybe this should be under the thread "Senate Minority Leader"

Daschle will lose this November but even if he wins, he won't be Dem leader anymore. Reid and Dodd would be favored for Minority leader but I'm going to say Dick Durbin (Illinois) will be chosen.

Secondly, Durbin is far to Liberal to become Minority leader

One of the reasons why he is my least favorite member of the Senate.

I do believe that Durbin has good chances at becoming Min. leader. Reid is Minority whip and he seems like the obvious choice for the post but I have a feeling he won't run. Dodd will probably run again but if you think Durbin's liberalism would hold him back, wouldn't it be the same with Dodd? Nelson and Lincoln..maybe.

[Ben.]

I think Daschle is done as Dem leader win or lose for him and his party in the 04 senate elections......rumor is chris dodd of CT would run to replace him, or daschles prefered man Harry Reid.  any thoughts?  maybe this should be under the thread "Senate Minority Leader"

Daschle will lose this November but even if he wins, he won't be Dem leader anymore. Reid and Dodd would be favored for Minority leader but I'm going to say Dick Durbin (Illinois) will be chosen.

Secondly, Durbin is far to Liberal to become Minority leader

One of the reasons why he is my least favorite member of the Senate.

I do believe that Durbin has good chances at becoming Min. leader. Reid is Minority whip and he seems like the obvious choice for the post but I have a feeling he won't run. Dodd will probably run again but if you think Durbin's liberalism would hold him back, wouldn't it be the same with Dodd? Nelson and Lincoln..maybe.

Durbin is more liberal than Dodd, the Democrats in the senate are not stupid enough to elect such a radical IMHO, he a good public servant and no doubt an excellent senator, but he’s too far out of the mainstream and not moderate enough, Nelson and Lincoln would be Ideal, Dodd would be a little more of the same and Reid would be ok… But I’m still holding out hope for Lincoln.

[Keystone Phil]

I think Daschle is done as Dem leader win or lose for him and his party in the 04 senate elections......rumor is chris dodd of CT would run to replace him, or daschles prefered man Harry Reid.  any thoughts?  maybe this should be under the thread "Senate Minority Leader"

Daschle will lose this November but even if he wins, he won't be Dem leader anymore. Reid and Dodd would be favored for Minority leader but I'm going to say Dick Durbin (Illinois) will be chosen.

Secondly, Durbin is far to Liberal to become Minority leader

One of the reasons why he is my least favorite member of the Senate.

I do believe that Durbin has good chances at becoming Min. leader. Reid is Minority whip and he seems like the obvious choice for the post but I have a feeling he won't run. Dodd will probably run again but if you think Durbin's liberalism would hold him back, wouldn't it be the same with Dodd? Nelson and Lincoln..maybe.

Durbin is more liberal than Dodd, the Democrats in the senate are not stupid enough to elect such a radical IMHO

If Obama is a rising star in the Democratic party, I think Durbin can be elected Minority leader.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Harold Ford will challenge Pelosi, she’s so liberal and so useless that it’ll happen sooner or later IMHO.

There was a rumour a while back that someone (dunno who) is plotting a challange.

[AuH2O]

Daschle is not returning to the Senate, and I think that might even hurt Reid a little by association. Dodd wants it, everyone knows it, and he barely lost to Daschle (1 vote) in 1994. He has to be the favorite until it becomes clear who else wants the damn job. I don't see Durbin. Would Feinstein want it?

If the Dems lose seats in the House- quite possible given the Texas situation- I think someone will target Pelosi's job. I think Ford benefits inversely from the success of Democrats this year; the worse they do, the better off he is politically. Problem for him is, if he wants to be President (I assume he does), the Minority leader job is not a particularly great one.

On the other side, I'm very unimpressed by Frist, but I'm not sure who should have the job. Lott was much better. The Bush admin will make sure Frist stays on because he cooperates with them... not all Senators can be counted on to do that. I don't see why Santorum would want it... it does you no good if you want to be President.

[Rococo4]

Daschle is not returning to the Senate, and I think that might even hurt Reid a little by association. Dodd wants it, everyone knows it, and he barely lost to Daschle (1 vote) in 1994. He has to be the favorite until it becomes clear who else wants the damn job. I don't see Durbin. Would Feinstein want it?

If the Dems lose seats in the House- quite possible given the Texas situation- I think someone will target Pelosi's job. I think Ford benefits inversely from the success of Democrats this year; the worse they do, the better off he is politically. Problem for him is, if he wants to be President (I assume he does), the Minority leader job is not a particularly great one.

On the other side, I'm very unimpressed by Frist, but I'm not sure who should have the job. Lott was much better. The Bush admin will make sure Frist stays on because he cooperates with them... not all Senators can be counted on to do that. I don't see why Santorum would want it... it does you no good if you want to be President.

Totally.......Lott was a much better than leader than Frist.  Durbin is far too liberal and brash to be majority leader,or in this case minority leader.