We need some threads on focusing on where the party goes from here and how we can start planning on working our way back into majority or chipping our minority status up some

I very much fear the US Senate Races in 2010 already points to us being on defense and in some cases you have to wonder if some Republican Senators are going to call it quits. Many things can change of course but I think its important to look all points that can happen (the Dems thought after 2 years they’d gain seats we gained them)

2010 Republican:

NH Judd Gregg- the last Republican in NH delegation and Schummer is going to put a lot pressure on Gov Lynch to run

PA Specter- the GOP is in disarray in PA but Specter does well in suburbs and perhaps him being socially liberal works to his advantage?

NC Burr- after the Dems knocked off Dole you know they will make this a race

KY Bunning-Bunning is weak candidate and many Dems are already saying Chandler is running against him and if Bunning retires who does GOP have as statewide candidate to replace him?

LA Vitter- LA is Republican and hopefully he continue to improve his image after his troubles

FL Martinez- no question the Dems will give him a race and unlike us who gave Nelson a free ride the Dems won’t

IA Grassley- if Grassley retires I fear this seat is gone the IA GOP is in tatters

KS Brownback- I am willing to make a prediction if Obama does not give Sebelius a job or even if he does she is going to run against Brownback and either way this will be close race

SD Thune- Thune is popular but Herseth may challenge him you never know

OH Voinovich- Voinovich is basically the last GOP statewide and he may retire; either way the Dems will make this a race

AZ McCain- I will be shocked if McCain runs again and Napoliatano is going to run and if she does she wins at this point

MO Bond- Bond may retire and if he does the GOP needs a top tier person; you can bet Dems make this a race either way and have many statewide office holders already to do so.

AK Murkowski- Murkowski will probably be challenged again possibly by Begich

While the Dems up for re-election are:

Schumer NY- the NY GOP is dead they will probably put up a lamb

Dorgan ND- The ND GOP never puts up any credible candidates for Congress/Senate Races we need to start pressuring Hoeven now and lets say Dorgan retires you know Pomeroy will run

Feingold WI- the WI Gop is in tatters even a Thompson running would lose

Lincoln AR- Pryor did not even get GOP opponent if someone like Huckabee wants to help party he needs to help us here

Milkulski MD- MD GOP is in tatter too one could hope a Powell would run but forget it and Steele could not win this either

Inouye HA- Inouye may or may not run again but Hawaii Dems have a lot candidates and even if Lingle were to run I am of opinion HA would not elect a Republican to federal office

NV Reid- the Republican will target him it looks like Porter won’t be running against him seeing he went down the NV GOP needs to hope someone like Fmr Gov Guinn makes the run but I fear he won’t and Heller is underperforming in his election

CA Boxer- I doubt Arnold runs and at this point CA GOP is basically dead

WA Murray- the WA GOP is dead its sad that someone like Rossi is basically non-electable now he had promising future

OR Wyden- OR GOP is basically dead

What does this underscore? That Dems can still get elected in red states while in blue states the GOP has no bench at all and that prevents us from even playing and the stakes are the Dems very much could get over 60 and if they do this we have no say whatsoever in gov’t.

1. Start making some donations to Republican senators and if u live in their states u better start working on ground game now