WP blogger handicaps ten gubernatorial races: Dems poised for gains

[DeepModem Mom]

WP, Chris Cillizza, "The Fix"
Posted at 08:30 AM ET, 01/20/2006
The Friday Line: GOP's Statehouse Challenge


After a brief break from pure campaign politics in last week's Friday Line, we're back with a vengeance to look at the most competitive gubernatorial races on the ballot in November.

While the Washington parlor game is debating whether Democrats can win back control of the House and/or Senate this fall, it's in the statehouses where the party is poised to make its biggest gains. Republicans must defend eight open seats (including three of The Fix's top four in this week's line) and have a number of other vulnerable incumbents in Democrat-friendly states like Maryland and California.

The races are listed in reverse order, with the no. 1 race being the one most likely to switch parties in the fall. Feel free to add your thoughts, predictions and own rankings in the comments section below, and compare this list to my last ranking of governors races....

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2. Ohio -- OPEN, Bob Taft (R) is retiring: Rep. Ted Strickland (D) continues to rack up key party endorsements, a strategy that is sure to effectively marginalize the quixotic primary candidacy of state Sen. Eric Fingerhut. Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell is the apparent frontrunner on the Republican side. His closest challenger -- state Attorney General Jim Petro -- lost a bit of momentum when his running mate for lieutenant governor dropped off the ticket to run for a county office. The political dynamics in the state -- colored by Taft's ongoing ethical problems -- make this a terrific opportunity for Democrats. (Previous ranking: 3)

1. New York -- OPEN, George Pataki (R) is retiring: State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D) is as close to a sure thing to take this seat back for Democrats as you will find in big-time electoral politics. He ended 2005 with $19 million in the bank, and a recent Siena College poll showed Spitzer with a whopping 72 percent to 8 percent lead over Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi (D) who appears -- inexplicably -- to be preparing for a primary challenge. A series of surveys has shown Spitzer crushing all Republican comers, including perennial candidate Tom Golisano, whose name ID and deep pockets make him a real threat to establishment favorite Bill Weld in the GOP primary. (Previous ranking: 1)


http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/thefix/

[DeepModem Mom]

1. Posted yesterday about a GQ article critical of Kerry...

and that post is still flaming a warlike DU flame. Sad to say, this encouraging post has gone to page two without a single response. Just sayin'.