There has been quite a bit of post-election analysis concerning the performance of the base of both parties, I don’t think enough fault has been laid at the feet of the GOP. Bad candidates and bad campaigns lost a lot of unnecessary seats for the Republican Party. Does anyone doubt, for example, that save the “macaca” comment, George Allen would have retained his seat? Here are a few examples of other candidates and errant campaigns.
Katherine Harris (FL): Maybe she never had a chance anyway, but she was certainly doomed by the combination of lack of GOP support and this comment: “If you’re not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin.”
Mark Dewine (OH): “DeWine suffered by running a botched national defense ad whose producers used an image of the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001, and added black smoke to make it more dramatic.”
Bob Ney/Joy Padgett (OH): Nice of Ney to drop out so late, leaving Padgett to flail away, particularly after a bankruptcy filing was brought to light.
Conrad Burns (MT): “It is difficult to see how a well-funded Republican could be this far behind in Montana. To not have more effectively dealt ith the Abramoff issues at this late date borders on campaign malpractice.”
Mark Foley/Joe Negron: Thanks, Mark.
Richard Pombo (CA): Weak campaign, touched by scandal, attacked by environmentalists.
Chris Chocola (IN): Just a wimpy campaign.
Gubernatorial Races
Bob Beauprez (CO): Beauprez enjoyed a 10 point lead a year before the election, but by the time November 7 came around he was trailing by 15 – 20 points. Why? Poor fundraising; an attempt to paint his opponent with the Willie Horton brush which backfired painfully; and several gaffes which offended gays, hispanics, and african-americans.
Asa Hutchison (AR): “At the start of this cycle, the gubernatorial match-up between Hutchinson and state Attorney General Mike Beebe (D) looked likely to be one of the marquee contests in the country. The race never materialized — thanks in large part to the slow-starting and strangely-focused campaign run by the Republican. Hutchinson seemed to see himself as the frontrunner in the race, choosing to release wonky policy papers while Beebe was out collecting the millions necessary to introduce himself to voters.”
Frank Murkowski (CA): “Murkowski waited far too long to announce he was running for a second term, a delay that allowed two serious primary challengers to gain traction. When he finally did get into the race, Murkowski’s campaign took on the form of an apology for his sometimes-abrasive personality. His argument — “You may not like but you need me” — went over like a lead balloon with Alaska Republicans.”
