Republicans' outlook remains bleak

[Nonno]

Republicans' outlook remains bleak - Alex Isenstadt - POLITICO.com

"While the outcome of Tuesday’s upstate New York special election is still up in the air, one thing is perfectly clear: It only gets worse from here for House Republicans.

Of the next three House special elections on the horizon, none are considered competitive opportunities for the GOP. As a result, the party has largely written them off.

As both parties plotted their post-special election strategies Wednesday morning for New York’s still-undecided 20th District race, Republicans conceded they weren’t even paying much attention to the trio of open, currently Democrat-held seats in Illinois and California.

“Our immediate focus is the ongoing special election in New York, where we are confident Jim Tedisco’s advantage in absentee ballots will put him over the top,” said Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “Like the districts of the next three special elections, NY-20 is a Democrat seat that was carried by President Obama, but the upcoming races are less competitive for Republicans.”

The special general election in the 5th District of Illinois is scheduled for April 7. A special primary election in California’s 32nd District will take place May 19, followed by another special in California’s 10th District that has yet to be scheduled.

A loss in the New York special election, coupled with defeats in the Illinois and California races, would hand Republicans losses in four consecutive contests — hardly the kind of momentum the party is looking for as it attempts to mount an electoral comeback in 2010.

But that figure is misleading, since almost no one in either party equates the next three specials with Tuesday’s barnburner. All three upcoming races will take place in districts that are considered comfortably Democratic and nearly immune to party turnover.

“You can always make noise about things, but that doesn’t make it reality,” said Carl Forti, a former NRCC communications director who is advising the committee this cycle. “Those are seats that are so overwhelmingly Democratic that there are no opportunities for Republicans.”

The uncompetitive nature of the Illinois and California seats is reflected in the caliber of the GOP candidates.

In former Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s now-vacated Chicago-based seat, the Republican nominee is Rosanna Pulido, founder of the Illinois branch of the controversial anti-illegal-immigration group known as the Minuteman Project."

[Mike (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Nonno

Republicans' outlook remains bleak - Alex Isenstadt - POLITICO.com
"

An opposing point of view, one that seems unlikely at this point:

GOP sees its 2010 chances improve -- thanks to Obama
These are tough times to be a Republican, with fewer members in Washington, polls showing strong voter disdain for the party and partisans inside the tent squabbling over who (Chairman Michael S. Steele? Uber-talker Rush Limbaugh?) speaks for the GOP.

But there is a bright spot, thanks to an unlikely source: President Obama.




GOP sees its 2010 chances improve -- thanks to Obama - Los Angeles Times

[aps45819 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Nonno

Republicans' outlook remains bleak

Seems that if you drive, smoke, eat hot food, own stocks or bonds, have a home with electricity or own a business, your outlook is bleak.

Who do you think is coming out ahead these days?