Should he stay or should he go?
Here’s the bait:
1) Should Gov. Mike Rounds run for the Republican nomination to U.S. Senate in 2008?
2) Would he win the nomination?
3) Does he stand a better chance than other GOP contenders of beating South Dakota’s senior U.S. senator, Democrat Tim Johnson?
4) Who would win a Rounds-Johnson race? Why?
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Comments
1. Depends on what polls tell him.
2. Refer to the results of the first answer
3. Both the state and national party (and probably Thune) will see to it in preferrence to other candidates
4. Rounds, negitives energize – votes against Reid and any Democratic Presidential nominee, especially Obama then Clinton – political harmony between Rounds and GOP Presidential nominee
The same answers for Herseth in the event Johnson steps out
The GOP needs a South Dakota win
Rounds should run but he won’t. Of course, he’d win the nomination. He’d have a hard time gaining ground on this sympathy vote-deal – but it’d be a heavy-weight bout.
Maybe, just maybe Johnson would bow out because a Rounds-Johnson race would be extremely rigorous. It would be hard for Johnson to stay in that game (healthwise). W/out Rounds in the race – Johnson won’t even feel Dyktra.
Rounds is hiring some moderate kind of folks these days. Maybe he’s in the race?
What else is smiliing M. gonna do with his dough? Can’t give it back to Judge Barnett. The spin will be something like:
“I didn’t want to have to do this, but Tim needs some rest and SD needs me in this difficult time”
Then if Dennis D. gets elected, (and the R’s toe the line), M.Mike can run the whole show from the senate dining room while expanding SD vodka into Russia. Brilliant.
I can’t believe Mike would think of running against Tim…..he can’t win by default this time. Everyone knows he’s only there because the GOP was fighting back then and is still fighting and so he won by default.
When you don’t even show up to defend your own bills why would we want him there.
Rounds would beat Johnson. Lots of negative response from Dems regarding Johnson’s ability to be a fulltime senator. He’s already started missing votes, sits out committee meetings, and couldnt even attend the DUSEL event in DC yesterday.
Having said all that, I’d probably still vote for Johnson over Dykstra.
Johnson was a much better senator for South Dakota when he was missing EVERY vote. Unfortunately Rounds isn’t much different. If the seat in the senate remained empty, South Dakotans would be much better off than having either of these dunderheads representing us.
14. They won’t! Joel will.
12. Having said all of that your last sentence said even more. You are willing to support Dingy Harry, making you a Democrat no matter what party you claim.
1) Only if we wish to further push the Peter Principle.
2) Only if we wish to further push the Peter Principle… wait… something different: He could win the nomination if he continues on his presnt path.
3) While this question might seem good pragmatic sense, it is an example of what is wrong with politics today. We don’t vote for the candidate we think is RIGHT. We vote for who we think is VIABLE. Thus… election by election… we get further from what we need. But, in answer to the ‘bad’ question… maybe.
4) Johnson would win, because even here in the Dakotas, we ‘blame’ bad war, bad congressional morals, and bad economic climate (whether we have one or not is irelevant… we are told we have one) on the present “in power” Repubs. Never mind that Congress is Democrat controlled (or Democratic controlled.) The Repubs will get blamed again this election, just like last national election.
Lets think up some more races that havent happened yet, and then argue about who will win.
would O’Gorman beat SDSU?
ok, everybody comment!
I still think Johnson won’t run. If he still has health issues, he won’t be able to stand up to a rigorous campaign and its demands. Of course, the longer he says he will run, the more money he will amass to turn over to Steffi!
to Bruce: I believe I can cross party lines on occassion and still be a Republican, especially if the candidate in question is an arrogant jerk I don’t personally like and who has bad-mouthed me in the past. That may make me shallow and vindictive, but it doesn’t make me a Democrat.
I’ve heard you bash and back-stab John Thune, so does that make you a Harry Reid-supporting Democrat?
Though it sure would be nice to have the sacred blessing of getting my vote and party affiliation approved by you – not!
Tigerman – I’ve said this before…but you don’t seem to remember.
JOHNSON CANNOT TURN HIS CAMPAIGN WARCHEST OVER TO ANOTHER CANDIDATE. Campaign Finance laws prevent this. He could turn it over to the State (or National) Democratic Party…but he cannot turn it over to SHS.
Nahh, Rounds won’t run for anything once his gig is up as Da Gov. He’s got 2 big reasons not to run … well, really one big reason and a second pretty dang good reason.
And the Big Reason is: His wife would kill him if he did. She put up with this so far, but it’s in Pierre. Where her kids are, and her new grand kids. No way, no how is she moving to DC at this point. So all yer lip flappin’ is just that.
Second reason… he can make a tidy pile of money going back with the contacts and clout that he’s got in his own business.
There ya have it.
Anthony, so what if he can’t turn his war chest over to Steffi or anyone else for that matter. He can indirectly do so, and of course would. Such is the nature of politics. If he can raise more money for the Dems and then turn said money over to them for use in Steffi’s campaign, it would happen, all legal and above board.
Which is why we need some REAL campaign reform regards length of campaigns, amount of donations allowed, complete open records of all who donate and how much, etc. Shorten the campaigns, let candidates state exactly where they stand on issues, and then have an election. These years long campaigns and fortunes spent on them has ruined the political process and opened up politics to graft, lying, secrecy, and buying of candidates. Of course, nothing will get done because those in charge of doing so are running the system are the same ones who benefit the way it is.
Tigerman, here is the thing – If he turns it over to the state or national party – who is to say that they spend it the way he wants them to… The state party is more likely to respect his wishes than the national party, but even they might look at a massive influx of cash and reasonably say “We’ll give a chunk to Steffi and use the rest to take over the State Senate.” Or even “Steffi should be able to use her own campaign war chest and we’ll help the Dem who is running for the House – AND we’ll use the rest to take the state Senate and make gains in the House.”
This National Democratic Party will help WHOEVER is running for Senate – to the same degree. If Johnson tosses his money into the National party – They won’t help Herseth any more than they would if he pocketed the money and move to Hawaii. The certainly wouldn’t say “Oh, Tim Johnson gave us $6,000,000 – so we’re going to give you the X dollars we were going to give you anyway PLUS his $6,000,000.” They’ll take that $6,000,000 and move it elsewhere.
I agree that we should have real, legitimate, fundamental campaign finance reform. We should limit the time that active campaigns can run, and we should have MUCH better open records laws with respect to campaign donations.
1) No.
2) Probably, because Rounds has been campaigning for the spot since he became governor.
3) Probably, but only because he has name recognition and they don’t.
4) Johnson. There isn’t enough difference politically between the two to matter and Johnson has the sympathy vote. If Rounds were a genuine conservative, he would have a chance.