I was doing a quick fact check for the sex scandal thread and I saw something interesting. It's something I sort of knew already, but seeing it in print made an impression.
12 Democrats and 21 Republicans are up for reelection in 2009. With Democrats already in a slim lead in the Senate, this means in order to retake the majority, Republicans have to hold all 21 seats and steal at least 1 from the Democrats.
Meanwhile, the White House has circled it's wagons and Bush, who is the titular head of the Republican party, seems to be providing them with the same leadership he has shown for most of his tenure as Commander-in-Chief, consisting mostly of denial and stubborn adherence to failed strategies. Also, with Democrats in the majority, the White House can no longer resort to questionable tactics and have to reluctantly reestablish the barriers mandated by the
Hatch Act. In selecting Cheney as Vice President, a man who is clearly unable to run for President, Bush has also set up a power vacuum in the presidential elections unseen for decades. The resulting free-for-all cannot help but affect Senate elections.
At the same time, Republicans are still expected to maintain some measure of party discipline, limiting their ability to distance themselves from a failed administration. This once effective relationship has become politically gangrenous for most members seeking reelection in all but the most partisan districts.
All in all, the Reds have a good reason to be blue.
From
Here
Quote:
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class - Article I, section 3 of the Constitution requires the Senate to be divided into three classes for purposes of elections. Senators are elected to six-year terms, and every two years the members of one class—approximately one-third of the Senators—face election or reelection. Terms for Senators in Class I expire in 2013, Class II in 2009, and Class III in 2011.
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And
Here
Quote:
Class II - Senators Whose Terms of Service Expire in 2009
Senators in Class II were elected to office in the November 2002 general election. Their terms run from the beginning of the 108th Congress on January 3, 2003 to the end of the 110th Congress in January 2009.
Democrats
Baucus, Max (D-MT)
Biden, Joseph R., Jr. (D-DE)
Durbin, Richard (D-IL)
Harkin, Tom (D-IA)
Johnson, Tim (D-SD)
Kerry, John F. (D-MA)
Landrieu, Mary L. (D-LA)
Lautenberg, Frank R. (D-NJ)
Levin, Carl (D-MI)
Pryor, Mark L. (D-AR)
Reed, Jack (D-RI)
Rockefeller, John D., IV (D-WV)
Republicans
Alexander, Lamar (R-TN)
Allard, Wayne (R-CO)
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA)
Cochran, Thad (R-MS)
Coleman, Norm (R-MN)
Collins, Susan M. (R-ME)
Cornyn, John (R-TX)
Craig, Larry E. (R-ID)
Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC)
Domenici, Pete V. (R-NM)
Enzi, Michael B. (R-WY)
Graham, Lindsey (R-SC)
Hagel, Chuck (R-NE)
Inhofe, James M. (R-OK)
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY)
Roberts, Pat (R-KS)
Sessions, Jeff (R-AL)
Smith, Gordon H. (R-OR)
Stevens, Ted (R-AK)
Sununu, John E. (R-NH)
Warner, John (R-VA)
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