Legacy of ’94, Part 3: Lost for other office

This is part 3 of my diaries exploring what is the legacy of the Republican class of 1994.  

Matt Salmon, Phoenix Suburbs.  Matt Salmon’s margin is nearly exactly the same as Ann Kirkpatrick two years ago in a district that is numbered the same but looks very different.  He won by 17 points in an open seat after Sam Coppersmith tried to defeat Jon Kyl in an open Senate election.  (much like IN this year, an open seat seat meant a loss in the Senate seat and a competitive House race, although I don’t know if there would have been one anyways, as Coppersmith pulled a Perriello in winning a total upset in 1992 over an incumbent.  Salmon served six (h/t: jwaalk) years in Congress before running against Janet Napolitano for Governor of Arizona in 2002, losing by a razor-thin margin.  He is now president of the Electronic Cigarette Association (bet you didn’t know that.)

Dave McIntosh, NE. Indiana.  When incumbent Philip Sharp retired after ten terms in Congress in a Republican district, McIntosh won by nine points in the open seat race (a surprisingly small margin, in my opinion).  He served three terms before running for Gov. of Indiana and losing to incumbent Frank O’Bannon by a wide margin.  

Greg Ganske, Des Moines.  Greg Ganske shocked the political world by defeating 18-term incumbent Neal Smith.  He won by nearly seven points in the Republican wave, campaigning in a 1958 DeSoto car (shades of Scott Brown) since Smith had won his first election that year.  He was also a plastic surgeon.  He remained a sane/somewhat moderate Republican throughout his four terms in Congress before challenging Tom Harkin in 2002, something  reserved for sacrificial lambs nowadays, (see Reed, Christopher).  He lost by ten points.  Today, he’s a plastic surgeon again.  

Todd Tiahrt, Wichita.  Tiahrt just lost his Senate primary last week, his social conservative cause dying along with it (although I can’t say I’m unhappy with his loss.)  He defeated 9-term incumbent Dan Glickman in the election, winning by six points.  Glickman then became Secretary of Agriculture, so it didn’t turn out too bad for him.  

Jon Christensen, Omaha.  And another Plains state freshman from that year who tried for higher office.  Christensen defeated 3-term incumbent Peter Hoagland in the election by one point.  Four years later, Christensen ran in a contested primary for Nebraska Governor, losing to Mike Johanns (a la Pete Hoekstra, Zach Wamp, Gresham Barrett).  He is currently married to a former Miss America.  He’s still 47, I’m not sure why he couldn’t run for something again at some point (Governor to replace Heineman?)

Steve Largent, Tulsa.  NFL Hall of Famer Largent ran for Jim Inhofe’s open House seat and won convincingly.  In 2002, he decided it was time for a promotion and ran for Governor, losing to Brad Henry by less than one percent.  He may be one of the greatest receivers of all time, but he couldn’t win an election in a GOP year in a red state, so I guess he didn’t do too well.  He was one of the most conservative House members.  He’s currently CEO of a wireless nonprofit.

Zach Wamp, Chattanooga.  Speaking of Wamp, here he is.  He also lost a gubernatorial primary this week while trying to be as conservative as possible.  He wants to secede, if I remember correctly.  10-term incumbent Marilyn Lloyd’s retirement in this even then reddish seat led to a victory for Wamp. However, the conservative, although pro-choice, Lloyd endorsed Wamp over the Democrat Randy Button, who lost by six points.

Van Hilleary, Rural Tennessee.  Hilleary ran for Governor the last time there was an open gubernatorial seat in Tennessee: 2002.  Before that, he took the open seat that Jim Cooper vacated to run for Senate, a campaign he was thoroughly demolished in.  Hilleary cruised in the open seat that is very similar to Lincoln Davis’s today.  He lost to Democrat Phil Bredesen in the gubornatorial election, however.  He’s now a consultant living in Washington, DC, which means he can’t challenge Lincoln Davis (which is good).  He did come in third in the 2006 Senate primary, losing to Bob Corker.  

Ed Bryant, W. Tennessee.  Ed Bryant replaced governor-elect Don Sundquist on the ballot in the 7th district.  He won in a Safe GOP district, at least in that year, although he was so conservative that he helped organize Pat Robertson’s presidential bid.  He ran for Fred Thompson’s open senate seat, but lost to the sane, although by no means moderate, Lamar Alexander.  In 2006, he came in second in the Senate primary, losing to Corker but defeating Hilleary.  He’ll probably run again if there’s ever an open seat.

George Nethercutt, Spokane.  Nethurcutt garnered national attention after upsetting Speaker Tom Foley by two points in this conservative district.  Foley was the first Speaker to lose since 1860.  He violated his promise of serving only three terms, but after five, he ran for the Senate against Patty Murray.  He lost by twelve points in a race that was never forgotten but never worrisome either.  He is CEO of a nonprofit, the Nethercutt Foundation.  

Mark Neumann, Milwaukee Suburbs.  Mark Neumann defeated freshman Peter Barca by less than one point in this tight 1994 election.  He narrowly won re-election in 1996 and then refused to vote for Newt Gingrich for speaker.  In 1998, he decided to challenge Russ Feingold and lost by only two points.  He’s running for Governor this year, but will probably lose the primary.