Franken exit could be game-changer for control of Senate

[orangecrush]

WASHINGTON — Republicans may have just gotten another layer of armor to defend their Senate majority.

Sen. Al Franken's seat wasn't supposed to be up again until 2020. But his announcement Thursday that he was resigning amid allegations of sexual misconduct sets up a 2018 special election in Minnesota. And Republicans, who hold a 52-48 majority, are now on the hunt for a top-tier candidate in a politically competitive state where President Donald Trump lost by less than 2 percentage points last year.

The unexpected opportunity could be a "total game-changer in terms of control of the Senate," said Republican strategist Alex Conant, a Minnesota native who worked in communications roles for the Republican National Committee and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty's 2012 presidential campaign. "If," he added, "we field a strong candidate."

Al Franken announces resignation from Senate, calls out Trump and Moore

Pawlenty, 57, is the dream candidate for the GOP, particularly after former Sen. Norm Coleman, who lost his seat to Franken by a few hundred votes in 2008, said Thursday that he won't run. Pawlenty currently serves as CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, a Washington lobbying group, and is considered a good bet to raise a lot of money quickly. There was no word from him Thursday.

"Everybody in Minnesota on the Republican side is extremely eager to hear from Tim Pawlenty," said Josh Holmes, a Republican strategist and former chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and who is from Minnesota. "He would be a spectacular candidate if he would consider it."

Holmes added that Franken's early departure "shifts the landscape" for control of the Senate.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/franken-exit-could-be-game-changer-control-senate-n827441/amp


There goes your impeachment hopes.

[liberal N proud]

1. Part of their strategy

Take down those who challenge them

[orangecrush]

3. They take kindness for weakness

they need an Al Capone object lesson...

[wellst0nev0ter]

12. *You're

ftfy

[orangecrush]

13. damn

I was hoping that one would slip by!

It's off to apostrophe Alcatraz for me!

You dirty rat!

[nil desperandum]

35. Indeed

it's as if a meme can't be created these days without at least one spelling error.

It's funny and infuriating all at once.

[LisaM]

57. Because they all come out of Turkey or something...

I think I read last year that a lot of these memes are done out of the country.

[still_one]

2. Forget about impeachment, the judicial appoints along with the cutting of the safety net helping the

most vulnerable in our society

Only time will tell ow tis will turn out, but there should be no doubt that the republicans are going to throw everything they have into Minnesota

[orangecrush]

4. undoubtedly.

[onecaliberal]

5. Pelosi wasnt going to impeach anyway

[Va Lefty]

8. Oh but we can't call for new leadership!

[onecaliberal]

10. Im with you.

[BannonsLiver]

6. Our people are 10 steps behind as usual.

[LenaBaby61]

28. Our people are 10 steps behind as usual.

No, I'd say Dems are 1,000 steps behind and falling further every year.

I spoke with 2 friends, and both re-registered on line and they're now Independents. They too have had enough of the "Fly High" Dem party. Me, I'm waiting until January 2018.

[4now]

7. Whistling past the graveyard

[MuseRider]

9. T-Paw?

Didn't he fail rather miserably before?

Nevermind, that was when he ran for the Presidency. Does Minnesota like him better than the rest of us do?

[orangecrush]

14. apparently

he is their fav.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

52. No. He was a horrible governor. He tried to turn Minnesota into a cold Alabama

with the economy of Kansas. The GOP love him because he loves cutting social programs, but he wasn't all that popular by the time he left office. Also, he has the charisma of a wet dishrag, which is why McCain chose Palin over him as his running mate. He has a sort of deceptively pleasant aw-shucks demeanor but he's as mean as a snake. I hope the Dems get busy right now digging up dirt on him - maybe he patted somebody's butt ten years ago - because the GOP will go all in for this beady-eyed asshat.

Oh, and thanks a whole bunch, Sen. Gillibrand et al. What was a safe seat until 2020 isn't any more.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

59. Well, at least we can shame the GOP with our awesome "moral authority"

or something, something.





We are already defending a huge amount of seats this year, especially in red states. Now, we have to defend Al's seat too, with an as-yet determined person since Dayton is appointing a caretaker for the seat until after the election.

just

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

60. Yeah; I wonder what the view is like from up on the Senate Dems' high horse.

[MuseRider]

61. That is kinda what I remembered.

Gov. Brownback tries to be the smiling guy that you should trust and really appreciate his dedication to what he believes then he screws us blind. It really does not work that way except with the true believers.

I also remember laughing my ass off when he tried to be cool by using T-Paw as his "cool kids" name.

[Drahthaardogs]

11. But while they destroy us, we can bask in the knowledge

That we are pure as the driven snow.

[orangecrush]

16. I would prefer a dirty snowball

with a rock inside.

[Drahthaardogs]

24. Frozen solid too.

Why are we so damned nice?

[orangecrush]

25. wasn't always that way

Democrats of old knew that winning means you get to implement your policies.

[misanthrope]

58. Unions and working people found out the hard way what it takes to seize your rights

As did those who founded this nation. Fighting for what's right doesn't mean you have to be a punching bag.

[orangecrush]

62. Truth

[MoonRiver]

43. Except, not really.

We eat our own without due process. Dems need new leadership indeed.

[workinclasszero]

44. Yeah

Good thing FDR was pure as the driven snow when he got social security passed.

Oh wait.............

[Barack_America]

15. Obama should move to Minnnesota. Nt

[orangecrush]

18. I think he should enjoy

his well earned R&R.




Just by being himself the contrast with the short fingered vulgarian is obvious.

[Barack_America]

19. I didn't say which one.

[orangecrush]

21. ...

[betsuni]

17. "But Al Franken touched someone's waist" is the new "But her emails."

[orangecrush]

22. years ago

I remember a poster here "don't tuch the butt"

[LenaBaby61]

31. "But Al Franken touched someone's waist" is the new "But her emails."

Next thing we know, someone will come fourth and accuse a Dem of looking at them sideways and crazy, which made the accuser feel "icky." Dems will pounce on that then tell that Dem to resign, for making someone feel "icky." Meanwhile Roy Moore will be IN the US Senate destroying all of our lives, and acting a damn fool, and voting against potential legislation which would have protected women/children from domestic violence and sexual assault. Bad enough that CHIP is gone. That alone shows you that thuglicans play hard ball. They don't give one shit about kids. They love fetuses more but once they're kids the hell with them.

Some of those Dems who called for Franken to resign without due justice will be target by thuglicans, then where will THEY be? All thuglicans have to do is say "BOO" to Dems and they cower in a corner and go away with their tails in between their legs.

[rzemanfl]

51. You said "between their legs!" This whole thing sounds like Beavis and Butthead.

I am sick over it, literally.

[NurseJackie]

20. Their plan is working perfectly.

[orangecrush]

23. temporarily

hopefully.

[SHRED]

26. This almost seems planned...by what is suppose to be our side

[agincourt]

27. Oh but everybody will be so impressed with the Democratic party

people across the country will be so energized by how they clean their own house, that Republicans will lose every election, right, right, right.

[orangecrush]

29. ...

[DarthDem]

30. Can We Not Get All Crazy . . .

. . . about what a McConnell hack has to say? That's all this "hot take" is based on.

[brooklynite]

32. Right:Impeachment was just waiting to happen...

You know, by the way, that you need 67 Senator to convict, right?

[orangecrush]

33. there are several investigations of Trump

underway as we speak, and articles of impeachment have already been introduced.

I prefer not to support things that will help keep him in office.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. His point was that even if we won the Senate we would still be far away from having

His point was that even if we won the Senate we would still be far away from having the sixty seven votes necessary for conviction and removal.

[brooklynite]

37. To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson....

'When you strike at a President, you must convict him."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. IHMO our chances of keeping the seat improved.

2018 is building up to be a "Blue Wave". If the coming "Blue wave" isn't strong enough to carry a Democrat in a Democratic leaning state like Minnesota to shore in 2018 we have problems infinitely bigger than holding this one seat.

[Joe941]

36. uhm no. MN is a safe seat.

[RhodeIslandOne]

38. They always are until they arent n/m

[DemocratSinceBirth]

42. Please see the post above yours.

Thank you in advance.

[ProfessorGAC]

46. Know What Made It Much Safer?

Franken's incumbency.

[FiveGoodMen]

47. At the state level, Rs control both houses.

What makes you think MN is safe?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

48. and so was Ted Kennedy's

[NewJeffCT]

50. you beat me to it

I was busy looking up governors of Mass as well - only one Democrat as governor there since 1991.

[NewJeffCT]

49. Ted Kennedy's seat was a safe seat as well

until Scott Brown came along.

[Johonny]

39. But we have the moral high ground...

[ksoze]

40. Impeachment is from the House, not senate

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

53. But conviction is in the Senate.

The GOP had egg on their face after their impeachment of Clinton crashed and burned in the Senate. "Never strike a king unless you are sure you shall kill him." - Emerson

[Egnever]

54. True but the senate has to confirm it.

[VOX]

45. *The unexpected opportunity*...

Oh, I’ll bet that the opportunity was very much expected.

But not by Democrats, of course.

[Thor_MN]

55. The GOP doesn't have one good candidate, much less two.

Pawlenty doesn't have much of a chance, he was terrible at Governor. GOP policies suck in general and the state has done much better under Democratic rule. Norm Coleman only won by virtue of Paul Wellstone being killed right before the election.

I seriously doubt the GOP's chances in a state wide election. They can win district seats, but state wide, GOP tactics fail. Our voting system is good, our people are generally well educated. We have seen what the GOP has done to Wisconsin and Kansas.

[tonedevil]

56. Not a game changer at all...

the game is controlled by Republicans now and it will continue to be thanks to the blinding cowardice of the Democratic caucus.

[parkerMcDavis]

63. Al was stabbed in the back by his democratic colleagues

Maybe this is his way of getting some revenge