GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who will turn 77 in 2010, is getting a bit long in the tooth. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him retire rather than seek another term. If he does, who do you like to run for his seat? Despite Iowa’s bright shade of blue in recent years, I’m not sure that we’d be able to recruit anyone of note without a vacancy here.
And while were at it, are there any Republicans with a deathwish who want to take on Governor Chet Culver? 5th CD Rep. Steve King, perhaps?
I’d expect to see Tom Vilsack, the former governor, take a run at that potential open seat. If Grassley stays, I think he’s going to be reelected by a deceit margin.
As for the governor’s race, Chet Culver will be reelected.
…if Grassley retired. 2010 is the last year we get to play offense (in that the GOP has more seats to defend; we have 24(!) in 2012 and 20 {so far} in 2014), so we should really make a big push for 60 and beyond.
In an open seat, I’d love to see Bruce Braley run.
where they are recounting.
http://www.co.washington.mn.us…
As of now, Franken has gained 7 votes. However, the heavily Republican counties will be counted later.
Franken leads by 570 due largely to a major correction in Carver county.
The newspaper web site noted above has now removed the Carver adjustment, putting Coleman back ahead by 196.
or Bruce Braley to run if Grassley retires.
In 2010, we should go all out for this Senate seat! I think Tom Vilsack’s the best candidate here, as he can win statewide & he’s not an incumbent House member in a competitive district.
Meanwhile, I expect Chet Culver win reelection in 2010… No drama there. 😉
I’d like to see Ed Fallon make a go of it.
The party hierarchy won’t want to run anybody of their own, and it’d go some way to fixing the bridges he burnt when he ran for Boswell’s seat.
Plus I’ve heard it suggested that Fallon’s loss was mostly due to him skimping on buying the Iowa Democratic party’s voter file. In a Senate race where he might expect a bit of netroots cash, he’d be able to rectify that and also show any chops he might have as an organiser.
It’d still be an uphill shot, of course, but you have to run candidates just in case and it might allow him to try for something else later on.
If Grassley does run again he’ll win easily. If he retires, which I expect, Vilsack would probably be favored over any republican.
As for the Governor’s race, my guess is barring some major slippage in approvals Governor Culver will only get marginally challenged by something like a state rep or state senator with almost no chance of beating him.
Franken making nice gains in Ramsey and St Louis Counties. Apparently 11/18 bad machine precincts have been counted in St Louis, so hopefully those remaining 7 will help a bit. Only 15% of precincts in Ramsey have been counted, so perhaps Franken can gain some more votes there too. Then it comes down to Hennepin County (very little recounted so far) and challenged ballots, which Franken has more to gain from at the moment than Coleman.
Grassley retires and the Senate race is Vilsack vs. King.
Grassley’s out of the Senate, Vilsack is safely back in Iowa where he can’t get in the way of progressive ag policy, and crazy Steve King is out of the House and gets punked by Vilsack in a landslide.
This, of course, is assuming Obama doesn’t appoint Vilsack Secretary of Agriculture.
be tapped as a bipartisan sec of agriculture, or am i just smoking some bad grass(ley). sorry, i don’t do that, but had to make the pun 😛