The GOP Reacts to Lamont Victory

Click here to hear the GOP strategy in November. Heh, heh!

The Lamont victory in Connecticut is a shot in the arm for real Democrats — the kind who will stand up to the President and his do-nothing party in Washington. But winning back the Congress will be a long uphill battle.

The war will be issue number one in mid-term elections. 62% of Americans disapprove of Bush’s handling of the war, they only give Congress a 36% approval rating, and almost two-thirds think the country is on the wrong track. While high gas prices and healthcare costs are important, Americans are most concerned about the war.

There are 29 open house seats. The Dems need 15 to win back control of the house after 12 years in the minority. Can ballance be restored in Washington? Here are some races to watch. Email me with other suggestions.

• Democrat Nick Lampson is planning to take back Tom Delay’s House seat in Texas’s District 2. He’s now running against Wallace, who’ll be a write-in candidate. Could be a feather in the Democrats’ cap.
  
• New Jersey Republican Tom Kean Jr. is in a dead heat with incumbent Democratic Senator Robert Menendez.
  
• Virginia’s anti-war Democrat Jim Webb is trailing 11 points in his bid to beat pro-war GOP incumbent George Allen for the Senate.
  
• Wisonsin’s 8th district Republican House speaker John Gard is running against Democratic challenger Steve Kagen, who was leading by ten points in last month’s poll I read.
  
• GOP Rep. Bob Nay of Ohio has just dropped out due to the Abramov scandal. GOP choice Joy Padgett may be ineligible. Democrat Zack Space is the nominee who hopes to retake the seat in November.