The Newest Senators
[Guest post by DRJ]
There are still 4 5 Senators who will serve in the next Congress that have not yet been determined:
1. The Minnesota recount between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.
2. Georgia’s runoff between Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin.
3. New York State’s junior Senator replacing Democrat Hillary Clinton.
4. Delaware’s senior Senator replacing Democrat Joe Biden.
5. Illinois’ junior Senator replacing Democrat Barack Obama.
The Democrats are assured of holding Senate seats 3, 4 and 5 but, interestingly enough, they seem to be focusing on legacies:
A placeholder in Delaware who will hold the seat for Joe Biden’s son Beau.
A Cuomo, Clinton or Kennedy in New York.
Even in Illinois there is a legacy in the race — Jesse Jackson, Jr. — but there is speculation the Governor will pick Chicago Congressman Danny Davis.
Democrats have won their most impressive victories (Carter, Clinton, Obama) by focusing on change but it looks like what they really mean by change is to replace an -R with a -D after every politician’s name. That’s probably true for the media and liberal elites. Maybe it’s enough for the voters, too.
— DRJ
It would be quite surprising if Bill Clinton assumed the position of a junior senator. Going from POTUS to that might be more than his enormous ego could take.
Top of the Ticket discusses seats today. New York pollster Lee Miringhoff believes that several criteria need to be met,
1) the replacement for Clinton must be a woman (for obvious reasons)
2) Paterson needs to pick someone from upstate New York, to gain support for an expected run for reelection in 2010.
3) Paterson needs to pick a Latino, to assuage an important constituency and help his reelection prospects.
Bill Clinton meets none of these preferences but neither does Eliot Spitzer!
Dana (79a78b) — 12/1/2008 @ 6:29 pmWho is taking Obama’s seat?
Amphipolis (e6b868) — 12/1/2008 @ 6:39 pmGood point. I need to add that.
DRJ (a50047) — 12/1/2008 @ 6:41 pmWere I a voter in any of the states in question, I would vote against the legacy choices, absent some evidence that they were particularly effective politicians.
They might be; it’s hard for me to know since they’re all flying under my radar.
aphrael (bc967d) — 12/1/2008 @ 7:07 pmIt looks like Franken is begging Harry Reid to seat him as Senator FOR Minnesota no matter what the Minnesota voters say.
Maybe Reid wants to set off another Civil War. As last time, I don’t think the Democrats will come out of this one very well.
PCD (7fe637) — 12/1/2008 @ 7:10 pmMy money is on Jesse jackson Jr.
…
Yeah, it makes me sick too.
Scott Jacobs (90ff96) — 12/1/2008 @ 7:21 pmAre there any Latino women politicians from upstate New York?
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 12/1/2008 @ 8:03 pmHow about this in Illinois: Blagojevitch appoints Patrick Fitzgerald! Saves his own skin (among others) by getting him out of town, and is able to spin it as a reward for a job well done. Too bad for JJJr and maybe Harry Reid, but the Machine comes first.
Mahon (5e03e9) — 12/1/2008 @ 9:34 pmNope. Won’t happen. No way in HELL they appoint anyone but a deeply entrenched minority meber of the Daley Machine.
The Machine can’t be touched by Fitz, because Daley himself is probably squeaky clean. Roddy, however, is a different matter.
Scott Jacobs (90ff96) — 12/1/2008 @ 9:37 pmWhat’s this about Roger Clinton being appointed to a Senate seat in New York?
For the record, DRJ, isn’t the designation “senior” and “junior” Senator based upon who holds the seat and not the seat itself? For instance, doesn’t whoever replaces Biden become the “junior” Senator from Delaware since he/she will be “newer” to the Senate than Tom Carver, who now becomes the new “senior” Senator from Delaware?
JVW (6dfd55) — 12/1/2008 @ 10:40 pmClinton would not likely take the NY seat due to the disclosure requirements of his finances since leaving office.
Most are suggesting the Governor will appoint someone who is likely to oppose him in the next election like Coumo or Bloomberg.
Left end blogs are already complaining that Coumo is being back stabbed in the political process.
daytrader (ea6549) — 12/2/2008 @ 3:38 amDanny Davis was endorsed in his first election by that same “New Party” fusion party that endorsed Obama.
This is just the senators, add in the House members needing to be replaced and Governors being moved and there is a whole lot of CHANGE going on.
daytrader (ea6549) — 12/2/2008 @ 3:40 amI think Curtis Sliwa had it right…Schmucky will make Patterson apoint a nobody so he can have the limelight back. It was rough for him having Hillary as the junior Senator.
NJRepublican (e8b2d3) — 12/2/2008 @ 8:00 amDRJ – Look at it as a win win situation.
The Democrats are going to be almost fully in charge (know your cringing, but hang on).
If they do great things and the country is on the right track…… well that can’t be bad for DRJ and America right?
If they do horrible things and this country continues to slide further, well then you could say “I told you so”. America will want change…… which will mean and “R” at the end of everyone’s name instead of a “D”. Your team will have won.
Win Win
Now move along and watch from the sidelines my friend.
Oiram (983921) — 12/2/2008 @ 8:55 amMy money is on Jesse jackson Jr.
I actually don’t believe that will happen, due to Junior’s uncomfortable scrunity of where his campaign finances have come from in the past – which in this case comes down to his father. Jesse Sr. was bought off years ago by Daley, due to his steerage to the Jackson family of the insanely lucrative Budweiser distributorship on the North Side of Chicago (including Wrigley Field). But Davis would be better than the alternatives, he’s not a hack in my estimation.
Dmac (e30284) — 12/2/2008 @ 9:01 amDanny Davis (My Congressman) is so bad that the Tribune endorsed his Republican opponent, who probably got 10% of the vote. He’s a perfect choice for Senate from the state that brought you Paul Simon, Steven Douglas and, uh, Carol Mosely-Braun. God forbid that Gov. Blagojevich would select someone qualified. Even a machine guy like Jesse Jackson Jr. would be better.
carlitos (52fcd8) — 12/2/2008 @ 9:05 am#7: “Are there any Latino women politicians from upstate New York?”
No, I don’t think so. There’s been talk of Nydia Velasquez, but that would mean both senators are from Brooklyn. Schumer lives less than a mile from where I sit, and Velasquez not much further than that. And if there’s one place Paterson doesn’t need shoring up, it’s Brooklyn.
Milhouse (89df7f) — 12/2/2008 @ 9:54 amRep. Kirsten Gillibrand, has also been mentioned in the mix of possible replacements.
daytrader (ea6549) — 12/2/2008 @ 10:00 amPatterson would be best off nominating Paul Teutel, Sr. to replace Hillary.
Senior would come riding into DC on a fuel efficient custom chopper, and be able to work with anybody, or give the intrangient (SP?) a size dozen in the tucas.
PCD (7fe637) — 12/2/2008 @ 10:41 amI guess now Chuck Hagel won’t make it into the Obama cabinet. Pity, that. And what about Lautenberg? I thought he was a place holder, but he was just reelected at age 84 for a six-year term. I guess once you find an honest New Jersey politician, you keep him.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 12/2/2008 @ 11:27 amJesse Jackson? I am not sure even the Senate could stand that much bloviation.
The Intellectual Redneck (2c07a1) — 12/3/2008 @ 3:12 amThe Intellectual Redneck