What Democratic Governors are vulnerable next year?

I think the Democrats can make real gains in statehouses in '06--especially in states like New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama. But we have some of our own who may be vulnerable. I think one is my own Governor, Jim Doyle. I don't really think he has connected with voters here and our best hope may be a divisive GOP primary. I also think that Gov. Blagojevich of Illinois may be in trouble--except that the Illinois GOP may be in an even bigger mess.

Any others?

Can hardly wait to vote the sucker out.

(I know he's not a Dem... but I think we can get a Dem back in.)

Riley will get beaten in the primaries down here in Alabama. Lucy Baxley will be elected to the statehouse by the end of 06.

Brandon

You don't win reelection with 35% approval rating.

We need a strong primary challenge, because if the GOP nominates popular fmr Governor Jim Edgar or Congressman Ray LaHood, either of them would probably beat Blago.

how many years the Democrats went without the Illinois governor office and when we get it we have to ruin it with ethical problems.

But the Illinois GOP is sad. I could easily see them fucking this one up.

But the Waukesha County Dem membership coord. thought that Doyle has hidden strength outside of Milwaukee. He can converse on issues important to voters throughout the state, while someone like Milwaukee County Exec Scott Walker only knows Milwaukee issues and voters.

There may be something to that. But I will work like hell anyway to make sure we keep Doyle. He ain't perfect, but he's better than the guy who tried to cheat some Democratic wards out of ballots while making sure the Repub-leaning wards had all they asked for.

vunerable. Mark Green, Congressman from Green Bay, is popular in NE WI.

Why the hell was he so beloved, anyway? Considering how long we were under Repub rule, why are we among the highest taxed in the country? Not exactly a fiscal conservative, was he?

The repubs are getting their ducks in a row to take him out...

but the way things have been going, I'm sure the Repubs are going to be very aggressive in their effort to unseat her this year.

It's the GOP "Mods" vs the GOP "Cons" even more so than Dem vs GOP, isn't it?

is impeding their "progress" on a regressive agenda. So I think they may well pull together to try to oust her. (At this point, I think the Cons are definitely pulling ahead of the Mods. We're in deep shit.)

They need to convince the Mods of their sentiments if they want to outst her. And if she's popular, as you say, I'm not sure that, that's an option. BTW, is Brownback or Roberts planning to retire within the next few years. If Sebelius is a two term Governor she'd be great for a dem senate pickup in Kansas when either of those two retire.

AFAIK, there aren't any retirement plans for Brownback or Roberts. But Brownback has admitted that he's considering a presidential run in 2008.

very difficult time recruiting volunteers to run against her--she is very popular.

Not that I have anything against that, what I mean is that if she's the popular governor of a red state and she's gay, then that's a serious step in the right direction for the GLBT community.

People don't seem to give a rat's ass about it at all. It's not discussed in the media or socially, really.

I've often said that it's only an issue if it is shoved in people's faces, and no one seems to care one way or the other here.

The prevailing attitude shocks the hell outta this long-time Zonie, but there you have it.

It isn't even an issue.

There are also a couple of out GL in the state legislature that have been re-elected at least once.

Socially, I think the urban parts of AZ are further ahead than most people know.

she was queer but the party didn't want to go after that because most people wouldn't care. And, the ones who would care are already going to vote against her because they always vote R anyway.

everyone suspects that she is, and the only people who care about it don't really matter anyway.

She's polling very high and so far only our way discredited former gov, Symington, has shown much interest, and he's even backed off.

Anyone the Rs run will be a sacrificial lamb--or a carpetbagger!

stop that ugly rumour right this minute.

He polled at 37% at Surveys USA and is facing a potential defeat in the gay rights law he championed. The law passed and he signed it, but it will surely end up on the ballot and Maine has rejected gay rights twice in recent years. The Democrats also face a ballot-box fight on the budget (which is sheer lunacy, but it will get support) so 2006 is going to be a pivotal year for us. Maine is not a "Blue state," it's a very dark purple color. If the zealots here in Maine can force these issues onto the ballot it will be a bad sign. Plus, Olympia Snowe will be on the ballot, and she has immense popularity among both parties.

We have a lot of fighting to do.

Plus, as a teacher, I can add that the teachers and their support staff are not especially happy with Baldacci. Many of the teachers here in northern Maine vote republican anyway, but hate the "finger-printing" law. Baldacci when running had promised to get rid of it, but once elected quickly changed his tune.

It will be a fight indeed.

But former Gov. Don Siegelman, recently certified by a jury of his peers as not guilty, is now preparing to run against Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley for the Democratic nomination.

We don't need a bruising nomination fight.

We don't want to end up with Gov. Roy Moore. < gag >

I hope Siegelman will reconsider even though he lost only narrowly four years ago.

looks pretty likely. Blagojevic hasn't gotten in front of the problems he needed to.

Iowa hasn't had Republicans in control for a long time, and with Vilsack retiring it looks like they'll elect Nussle. That'll be a crash course in what Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, and Missouri are finding out this year- hardline Republicans in control means an awful lot of pain for no gain.

We will pick up NY, MA, CA, RI, and MD most likely along with good possibilities in OH, GA, and MO.

So perhaps a Dem can take back the state next time!

The dem running in GA will probably be Cathy "Diebold" Cox. Now I'm not 100% on the black box voting bandwagon but I do know that she contracted GA out to no paper trail Diebold computerized voting machines. Totally irresponsible for a Democrat.