Who would have been the "best" Republican nominees for Senate in each state?

[tpfkaw]

In each election in 2008, which Republican would have been the "best" nominee (even if they would have to vacate another office or they wouldn't run) - as in most likely to win?

My guess:

AR: John Boozman
CA: Tom Campbell or Megabucks Whitman
CO: John Suthers
CT: Jodi Rell, or Linda Megabucks (yes, really - she's the one with the money)
DE: Mike Castle
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk - even with the scandal
IN: Mitch Daniels
MA: Bill Weld (although Scott Brown might well have been stronger)
MD: Michael Steele
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: George Pataki
NY/S: Rudy Giuliani
OR: Gordon Smith
WA: Dave Reichert
WI: Tommy Thompson (although Ron Johnson might well have been stronger)
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Jim Douglas (I initially put Brian Dubie by mistake)

All races with Republican incumbents are safest with the incumbent except:

FL: Marco Rubio
LA: Bobby Jindal

[nkpatel1279]

I am surprised that Mark Kirk(R-IL) did not run for the US Senate in 2004 against Barack Obama when it was an open seat. Is it because Kirk(R-IL) knew that as a Republican-he was going to lose in a Presidential Election cycle to a generic DEM challenger. In Presidential Election cycles- DEmocratic voter turnout is high.  Kirk(R-IL) got the green light when Obama was elected President-creating an open seat and top tier DEM nominee ie Lisa Madigan decided against running.  Since 2010 is a midterm election cycle-was a neutral and Republican leaning year and the 2010 DEM nominee is a young inexperienced controversial lightweight. Kirk stood a decent chance of winning- but would have lost to Giannoulias in 2006,2008 or 2012 environment.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

MA: Bill Weld (although Scott Brown might well have been stronger)

lol, no

[Keystone Phil]

Is Bill Weld still running for Governor in several other states?

[redcommander]

Did you mean 2010? Anyway here is what I think.

AR: John Boozman
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: Bill Owens
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk
IN: Marlin Stutzman
MA: Scott Brown
MD: Bob Ehrlich
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: George Pataki
NY/S Rudy Giuliani
OR: Greg Walden
WA: Rob McKenna
WI: Ron Johnson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Jim Douglas

[SvenssonRS]

AR: Hard to go wrong with Boozman, let's be honest...
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: Bill Owens
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk
IN: Mitch Daniels OR Marlin Stutzman
MA: Scott Brown, just Scott Brown
MD:...Bob Ehrlich?
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: Rudy Giuliani
NY/S: George Pataki
OR: Gordon Smith/Greg Walden
WA: Rob McKenna
WI: Ron Johnson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Jim Douglas

[-]

AR: Mike Huckabee
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: John Suthers
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk - even with the scandal
IN: Mitch Daniels
MD: Bob Erlich
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: Not really anyone. Schumer would sin anyways...
NY/S: George Pataki
OR: Gordon Smith (Although Smith was touting his ties to Wyden in 2008)
WA: Dave Reichert
WI: Tommy Thompson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Brian Dubie

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

AR: Mike Huckabee
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: John Suthers
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk - even with the scandal
IN: Mitch Daniels
MD: Bob Erlich
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: Not really anyone. Schumer would sin anyways...
NY/S: George Pataki
OR: Gordon Smith (Although Smith was touting his ties to Wyden in 2008)
WA: Dave Reichert
WI: Tommy Thompson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Brian Dubie

Agreed. Not even the holy Rudy could save him......

[tmthforu94]

AR: Mike Huckabee
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: Bill Owens
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
FL: Charlie Crist
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk
IN: Marlin Stutzman
MA: Scott Brown
MD: Bob Ehrlich
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: Rudy Giuliani
NY/S: George Pataki
OR: Gordon Smith
WA: Rob McKenna
WI: Ron Johnson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Jim Douglas

[Liberalrocks]

AR Mike Huckabee
CA Tom Campbell-Boxer would have been tough to beat. She beat Fiorina by 10pts (1million)
CO Jane Norton or Bill Owens Buck was way too extreme!
CT Jodi Rell
DE Mike Castle is there any question? ODonnell was insane.
IL Mark Kirk was the best man nominated and won
IN Mitch Daniels
MD Milkulski was unstoppable
NV Danny Tarkanian even Sue Lowden would have been better then nutcase Angle (worst nominee ever.)
NY Schumer was unstoppable
NY(S) Rudy Guiliani or George Pataki
ND John Hoeven
OR Wyden would have been tough to beat. Possibly Former Senator Smith?
WA Not sure but Im sure anyone would have been better then Rossi.
Had the GOP made changes in a few states they would have taken the senate

[Niemeyerite]

AR: Mike Huckabee
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: Bill Owens
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
FL: Charlie Crist
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk
IN: Marlin Stutzman Mitch Daniels
MA: Scott Brown
MD: Bob Ehrlich
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller
NY: Rudy Giuliani
NY/S: George Pataki
OR: Gordon Smith
WA: Rob McKenna
WI: Ron Johnson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Jim Douglas

[Miles]

AR: Mike Huckabee
CA: Tom Campbell
CO: Jane Norton
CT: Jodi Rell
DE: Mike Castle
FL: Charlie Crist
HI: Linda Lingle
IL: Mark Kirk
IN: Mitch Daniels
MD: Wouldn't matter
ND: John Hoeven
NV: Dean Heller or Brian Sandoval
NY: Wouldn't matter
NYS: George Pataki
OR: Gordon Smith
WA: Rob McKenna
WI: Ron Johnson
WV: Shelley Moore Capito
VT: Wouldn't matter