Republican operatives were wringing their hands with concern re the
2016 Senate races before 2014's congressional victory was even secured-
Senate Republicans will have to work hard to retain their recently won majority as they face a tough 2016 electoral map.The current unprincipled Republican leadership -who never had any intention of fulfilling promises made to conservatives- were handed an awful lot of power in 2014, and it's hard to see anybody happy with their 'performance' -or willing to swallow their excuses- anymore... I'd say substantial voter disappointment with Boner and Musty Mitch is all but a certainty by 2016 (I already want to choke them).
They have 24 seats up compared to Democrats' 10, including seven in states President Obama carried twice. Democrats won't have any red-state senators facing reelection and could be buoyed by a favorable presidential-year electorate.
Republicans do have some margin for error after their sweeping 2014 win netted them nine seats for a 54-seat Senate majority. Democrats won't have it easy either, with Senate Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) facing a strong challenge.
But Democrats are cautiously optimistic they can win back control just two years after losing it — and Republicans admit that they have a fight on their hands.
Then there's the natural tendency of voters not to hand both the White House and Congressional majorities to the same party- except for most-recently in 2008. And you'd think the sting of that 'progressive' spree -inc. Obamacare/failed Stimulus- should do much to re-institute the split-power tradition... even though it wasn't our party that was doing the damage this time.
Which brings us to Senator Charles 'Chuck' ( or 'Schmucky') Schumer
(and you thought Harry Reid was bad!): this is one of the most ruthless, scheming, coldly AMBITIOUS, and downright evil leftist hucksters to ever darken the halls of Congress- just as shameless and anti-constitutional as Dingy Harry, but far more intelligent, driven, capable- and dangerous.
Alas, all we've got to defend us from this beast is the same pathetic Gee-Oh-Pee 'leadership' that keeps useless Boehner/McConnell in power-- and is currently attempting to stuff even-less-useful Jeb down our gullet.
Any residual hope I may retain (for this country to pull out of it's dive) has largely been placed in getting Ted Cruz elected president- because even one man can make a difference, as Reagan and -sadly- Obama did. Third party is not going to do anything this election cycle, but Republican Party can certainly be conquered from within and transformed quickly- provided we've got the right guy at the top.
But Ted Cruz won't have one speck of influence on the party's senatorial campaigns heading into 2016... the current RNC schmoes now dozing on the control panel will be running those races -under the continued influence of serial-failure Karl Rove, who will likely spend more time attacking Ted Cruz than winning any tough Senate contests or -Heaven forbid- actually fighting for conservatism.
What's their chance of blowing our newfound Senate majority, and -even if Cruz or some other Republican is elected president- sticking the new White House team with a snarling Schumer-run Senate to deal with...?
I don't know how much a House majority and Republican presidency are worth at that point if we don't control the Senate decisively .. Schumer could easily become the turd in the punch bowl, and he'd enjoy it greatly.
