Biggest Winners & Losers
No, I’m not curled up in the fetal position this morning sucking my thumb. My server was down and now that I’m at work…I’ve got no time to post. But for this morning’s post, I offer a brief, post-election analysis:
Biggest Winners:
Minority Leader Bill Dunn and State Represenative Glen Casada for maintaining the seats of many good, conservative Republicans in state house seats across the state in such a bad year for Republicans.
Bob Corker: in spite of his campaign, Bob Corker is the only bright spot of the national Republican implosion. Corker has to thank the many good GOP candidates at the State House and Senate levels who were out there drumming up enthusiasm for issues like marriage, immigration, and taxation. If the GOP in Tennessee didn’t have so many GOP candidates out there actually wearing out shoe leather instead of just mail pieces, the Corker-Ford match-up might have been even closer.
Marriage: Tradition lives on. Marriage scores a huge, enormous victory in Tennessee. The results highlight the importance of social issues in a race. The closeness of the Corker-Ford race shows that a democrat who claims to be conservative on such social issues, can come close…or win. Look around the nation too at races picked up by Dems. Those Dems were running as moderate to conservative on the social issues.
Conservatism: Through the GOP losses, I think the modern GOP will rediscover her soul that has her origins in the Reagan legacy. Though liberal media types in New York and LA will try to say the nation rejected “conservatism,” it’s noteworthy to point out that many of the Democrat victories were achieved by Democrats perceived as “conservative.” The unfortunate Republican spanking may awaken a GOP that has been characterized by big spending and power seeking Republicans like Zach Wamp. With a Dem controlled House and possibly Senate, it’s going to be tough for Representatives like Wamp and Corker to bring the “gravy” back home. They’ll have to find a message, or face irrelevancy. Pork does not stir the American soul.
Biggest Losers:
Phil Bredesen: He may have won the Governor’s race against the better man (hopefully Jim Bryson will return to politics) but his work on behalf of democrat challengers like Bob Rochelle offered zero returns.
Jimmy Naifeh: along with Phil Bredesen, the Speaker targeted the seats of many outspoken GOP stalwarts like Matthew Hill and Stacey Campfield. Naifeh came up empty handed in a year when the charismatic Harold Ford Jr. was out energizing the base.
Karl Rove: yep, looks like he’s not so “genius” after all.
Bill Frist, Dennis Hastert, and President Bush: the national beating just goes to show you can’t put a party on auto-pilot. Democrats offered no message other than being anti-Republican. And sometimes, being the “anti-” works. The weak leadership of Frist and his failure to articulate any kind of message for the GOP further diminishes his delusional attempt to ascend to the Presidency. Talk radio is a conservative bastion, but it can’t do all the talking for the GOP. Members have got to step to the podium and talk with the public face to face.
Our troops: President Bush and many GOP Senators and Congressman around the nation rallied during the Presidential election. But during the midterms the motto for such members should have been “I’ve got to do for me and mine.”
Hiding under desks, in closets, and behind skirts, most GOP members failed to defend the mission in Iraq. They allowed the media and the legacy of Jane Fonda to bloody the American mission in the Middle East. Those who have shed blood and lost limbs in the effort to build a firewall against radical Islam and its terrorist progeny will now face the diminishment of their sacrifice. God Bless the betrayed American soldier.
Tax payers: spending won’t go down…but taxes will go up.
FUTURE PLANS: In my humble opinion, Newt needs to give up dreams of a Presidential bid. GOP needs to remove Ken Mehlman today, put Newt in over at the RNC.
13 Comments so far
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Winning every county and by statewide by 40% along with picking up a republican state senate seat makes Bredesen an loser. Come on, give the man his due. He won every county in Tennessee without even breaking a sweat campaigning.
Dunn & Casada failed to pick up any seats just months after democrat lawmakers were led out in handcuffs and you call them winners. Are you kidding me? Eddie Yokley won by over 1000 votes in Cocke & Greene counties. Are you freaking kidding me…Dunn & Casada winners?
By Wow on 11.08.06 12:11 pm
No, Diverbran, I’m not “freaking” kidding you.
You tell me how a Governor that is so popular can’t carry any one else along. All those road trips, speeches, etc. for nothing. In my book that makes him a loser in this election cycle.
You spin it how you like. My point was to discuss “winners and losers” in terms of this election.
The power of incumbency, the lateness of Bryson’s announcement, the GOP (Haslams) that are in bed with him, the lack of funds in the Bryson campaign, the fact that many evangelicals skipped the Governor’s race to boost the gay marriage vote, these are all factors.
It “ain’t” all about Bredesen’s greatness, you know.
If Bredesen was so absolutely wonderful, his endorsement would have carried some weight.
But instead, his endorsements fell like lead balloons.
So I repeat, yes, Glen Casada and Bill Dunn are winners.
If you’re mad about the GOP not getting any pick ups…well, that’s not Casada and Dunn’s job. They were holding the line. The rest was up to the state party.
As far as your statement that I need to give Bredesen his due. Well, I wish I could. And that would be booting his phony self out onto the streets of Nasvhille for tacitly endorsing the thugs and corruption that seem to characterize life on the Hill.
Not only does he fail to care or act, but his administration happens to be involved.
By Terry on 11.08.06 1:51 pm
“Those who have shed blood and lost limbs in the effort to build a firewall against radical Islam and its terrorist progeny will now face the diminishment of their sacrifice.”
Go here for the number of a handyman to come re-attach that hinge.
By Sean Braisted on 11.08.06 5:06 pm
You’re sick…and probably a gutless coward, too.
By Terry on 11.08.06 7:51 pm
The Republican defeat can be laid at the feet of “W” and the RINOs within the party. “W” hid for two years following his re-election and let the liberals and their media accomplices pummel his presidency and the GOP. Second,”W” and “Rummy” have said only “stay the course” without being able to define the course. The cowering RINOs holding office took no leadership in any area while the Federal budget was busted.
Then the RINOs wondered what happened to the GOP conservative base on election day. Conservative Republicans are never acknowleged by the RINOs until they need them on election day. When any local media wants a representative of the Republican party they always pick a RINO, e.g., Susan Richardson Williams, etc. to state the Republican viewpoint. Conservatives are tired of being betrayed by the GOP and voting for the lesser evil. This year the conservative Republicans let the RINOs try to elect themselves. Corker squeaked by an opponent thanks to Kerry’s comments and Barak Obama’s visit to Nashville (which Ford lost two to one).
Howard Dean kicked “W” in the butt. Now the stage is set for the US to abandon Israel. Welcome to the “One World Government” and thank a liberal Republican.
By Sunny on 11.08.06 8:10 pm
For some reason I expect buyer’s remorse.
By Donna Locke on 11.08.06 10:16 pm
Donna–with brevity, you always manage to hit the nail on the head.
By Terry on 11.09.06 8:26 am
Coward for sure, Gutless? Now that is just too far.
By Sean Braisted on 11.09.06 10:40 am
Sean, at least you’re brave enough to admit you’re a coward. That’s good.
By Terry on 11.09.06 11:44 am
Fear Not. The flywheel of a renewed conservative movement is already cranking up. Reagan, Au-H20(Goldwater for you non chemists), and even (Teddy) Roosevelt conservatism is about to make a big comeback.
By Will on 11.09.06 5:01 pm
Terry,
Thanks, if you ever need help admitting your a crazy nut, feel free to email me.
By Sean Braisted on 11.09.06 5:27 pm
Coming from you Sean, that’s a compliment.
By Terry on 11.09.06 5:50 pm
[...] In a post election analysis I offered in the early hours of November 7th several hundred words touching on who or what I believed to be the winners and losers of the Nov. 7th elections. [...]
By terryfrank.net » Does the Mockingbird Chirp? on 11.12.06 7:39 am
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