Democrats Shouldn't Be Vowing to Save Any Congressional Seats
In the wake of the Scott Brown Tsunami, the Democrat Party is on the run, but they are determined to regroup and turn the tides without sacrificing their liberal agenda. In the efforts to beat back the Conservative ascendancy, the Democrats are once again focused on the most liberal state in the union.
Just a few days ago, Rep. Bill Delahunt announced his retirement after serving seven terms for the "state's most conservative congressional district"—read regular Democrats as opposed to fringe-Left, Pelosi Democrats. The Democrats have since vowed not to lose his seat to a Republican. There are several flaws with this statement. First, Obama is useless during elections. He has proven this multiple times over. If there was ever a time when Democrat strongholds were in danger, that time is now. Second, while the GOP may have mounted a significant effort to take the seat, no one is expecting Massachusetts to become the new seat of Conservatism. They will be making their biggest gains in the "purple states." And third, their obsessive concern with a seat in the most liberal state reveals just how concerned they are about Democrat Party prospects in the 2010 midterms.
Don't get me wrong, the Democrats have every right to attempt to cling to those seats they can still win. They have every right to attempt to retain their majorities, and in many ways, the GOP would benefit from narrow Democrat majorities in both houses. However, if Urban Meyer came out vowing not to lose an exhibition match with a local community college, Gator fans would be understandably concerned about the coming football season.
Democrat concern over the "Delahunt seat" reveals just how much ground the GOP can gain in November. If the DNC actually considers the Massachusetts race a toss-up, then what does that say about liberal seats on the outskirts of the capital in northern Virginia? In North Carolina, my home state, the GOP has filed a candidate for every single race statewide and has a legitimate chance to seize control over the state legislature in a redistricting year after over a century of dormancy.
The Democrat hand-wringing has only energized a Conservative base eager to block as much of Obama's agenda as possible. Their visible distress lends credibility to Republican forecasts. As Dick Cheney commented during CPAC, "2010 is going to be a phenomenal year for the Conservative cause." If I were a Democrat, I'd be careful about making promises I couldn't keep. Then again, maybe that's why they're only promising to win an election in Massachusetts.
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