Conference back40::soapbox

    
      One race that will be very trying for pollsters this year is
     94-year-old Strom Thurmond's run for re-election, which, if he
     wins, would put him in line to become the country's first centenarian
     solon around 2002.  South Carolinians like Thurmond very much,
     and he gets VERY high approval ratings - in the 70% range.  But
     if you ask a DIFFERENT question, "Should he still be your senator ?"
     the answers are weak - less than 50% think 100+ years old is a good
     thing for the state.  Thus, I expect Thurmond to do some 10
     percentage points worse at the voting booths than he does in the
     pre-election opinion polls.  I think this is the sort of decision
     voters don't make until they are actually in the booth.  It also
     poses a fascinating tactical problem for the Democrats of the
     Palmetto State.  Thurmond will run a "statesmanlike" campaign,
     emphasizing his chairmanship of the Senate Armed Forces Committee,
     and probably not even mentioning his opponent.  I think any sort of
     negative campaigning by the Democrats will kill their chances in
     this one.  What they need is a real bright kid - maybe 30 years
     old, and very polite with Southern drawl humor.
    
      bb

    Hotly contested open seat for Senate in CO.
    
    Senator Hank Brown (R-CO) is retiring leaving this seat open.  
    
    Republican contenders are  Wayne Allard Currently in the US congress,
    and Gayle Norton, currently CO attorney general.  A minor, but
    potential wild card is state sen Charles Duke (R monument)  
    
    Democratic main Contenders:
    
    Tom Strickland, never held office, but heavy hitter isnside the
    democratic party in CO, also strong supporter and one of the main
    people to push Colorado outdoor and open space petitions.
    
    Gene Nichols, also a long-term party member
    
    Paul Wiessman, a member of the Colorado legislature, and bartender,
    most likely didn't get the threshold from county assemblies  
    
    Phil Perrington, Dark horse, may not make it to the State for the same
    reason.  
    
    The interesting thing in Colorado, is that since the '70's we have had
    one Democrat and one Republican in the senate.  With Ben Campbell's
    defection to the Republican party, this definitely shapes up to be an
    interesting race.

    
      Strickland.  Hmmm.  Is he like a software company CEO or something ?
    
      bb

    
    point guard for Portland

    Harold Grant is running again against Jesse Helms in NC...

Do you mean Harvey Gantt?

    
    	I thought he said Bucky Dent.
    

    Hugh Grant?

    
    Horace Grant??

    no I meant Carey Grant!  :-)
    
    guess I was wrong...see it ain't that hard for a cons. rep to admit
    once in a while@

    cary.  /hth

    
      It might be different for Jesse this time.  Remember, he's 75 !!
    
      Did Harvey Gantt already get the D nomination, or is he opposed ?
    
      Although Helms beat him going away last time, you will recall that
     Helms was at one point running behind.  Perhaps the Dems should get
     a different horse - as I recall, Gantt faded.
    
      bb

    jesse's just a spring chicken!  he's got plenty of
    pluck left!!

    
      And ole virginny is at it again.  As you recall, despite Va. being
     for lovers and all, last election they led the league in hatred
     WITHIN both parties - the losers in both bitterly fought primaries
     spent the election badmouthing those who beat them.  This year,
     Warner, a R. moderate is up, and he's a big favorite for re-election
     if he gets the nomination.  But the religious right Ollie types are
     going after him in the Republican primary.  This is one of those
     primaries where anybody can take any party ballot, so there is scope
     for all sorts of primary switching strategies.  Meanwhile, Warner
     is trying to sooth the Xians by bragging that his vote sunk the
     babykiller for Sturgeon General.  Whether that will mollify Reid &co
     seems doubtful.  Virginia may be nasty again.
    
      bb

    Don't vote!
    
    
    cbc

    Tom Strickland is not a CEO, but he is a lawyer (one downside to him.) 
    He is an outdoors person, appreciates troutfishing and hunting (we
    talked a long time over the phone, before the precinct caucuses.  
    
    Gene Nichols is also an interesting fellow.  He is a little more
    passionate in his speaking than Tom. 
    
    They are both good candidates as far as I am concerned.  
    
    meg

    
    yeahbut, Meg, can he go to his left?

    > Did Harvey Gantt already get the D nomination,
    
    yes.  evidently a pretty bruising primary.
    
    > Although Helms beat him going away last time, you will recall that
    > Helms was at one point running behind.  Perhaps the Dems should get
    > a different horse - as I recall, Gantt faded.
    
    Helms beat him with a last-minute ad showing the hands of a white
    person crumpling up a job rejection notice in anger- then a slam
    against Gantt (a black man) supporting EEO.  Pure mud, played to
    the North Carolina crackers.  Gantt didn't fade, Helms had to play 
    a pretty ugly race card against him.
    
    Gantt says this time, and in his recent primary campaign, he's learned
    not to let his opponent define who he is and what he stands for.
    
    DougO

    
    Victor Morales (D), Texas v. Phil "Claghorn" Gramm (R).
    
    I disagree with almost everything Mr. Morales stands for, except for
    the fact that, having met the man, he seems the most capable of
    listening.  
    
    Phil Gramm is just another of those go-with-the-flow, run to the
    head of the line politicians.  This man, who is currently wearing
    a libertarian suit (and egg on his face from the primaries) is the
    same author of a bill several years ago to "suspend the Bill of Rights"
    until we got our drug problem squared away.
    
    BTW, the Democratic party is now behind Mr. Morales "four-square"
    after having practically spat upon him in the primaries.

Prediction:  Republicans will maintain control of the Senate,  but the
margin will be just a few seats.

    gee, phil, why u r looking at your crystal ball, who is gonna win?
    
    oh, neva make such a leap if it's not already reported in 20 reference
    journals...i get it now...

U.S. News and World Report says that Republican Senate insiders are fearing
a loss of control of the Senate.

    Will this casue a collective loss of control of bodily functions?  

No,  only a loss of control over spelling.

    
    Which Senate races are thought to be close?
    
    

    :-)

One that was mentioned by name was Strom Thurmond.

    he's still alive?

    
    Strom's running against Harvey Gantt, I believe.  NC is so heavily
    Republican, I can't see a Democrat winning that race.

    
    
    Isn't Harvey running against ole KKK Jesse??
    

Republican focus groups and polls show it's up for grabs.  Also see .1.

Close but no cigars

Helms is running against that other well known funny southren guy, Jess
Helms.

By all local reporting, Strom is a lock unless someone convinces him he's
too old.

TTom

    
    I may have my southern backwaters mixed up.

The easiest way to tell 'em apart is the Strom dies his hair orange.

    
    
    re: .32
                            -< mixed up mix >-
    
    
    
    >Helms is running against that other well known funny southren guy,
    >Jess Helms.
    
    

    helms is running against himself?  that oughta be a good one.

    
    Clinton 96 is running effectively against Clinton 92.

    clinton's a senator?

    
    >clinton's a senator?
    
    
    
    Nope... but it's the same type of lies....

>                             -< Who's mixed up??? >-

Guilty as charged. 

It's Gantt who has the orange hair :=]

    it's weld who has orange hair.

    doesn't Ms. Deb have orange hair?

Sorry I woke you up,  Andy.

    
    Not for over a year now!
    

    
    
    >Sorry I woke you up,  Andy.
    
    No problem, Phil... No matter how hard I try, it'll never be beauty
    sleep...
    
    

| <<< Note 731.45 by POWDML::HANGGELI "_8^p_" >>>


| Not for over a year now!

	Was that when you grabbed sudden tan instead of the shampoo? :-)

    Re: 731.22
    
    I would find it hard to believe that there would be a loss of control
    of the senate (Note: I am not disputing that some Republican insider
    didn't tell some reporter at US News and World Report that).
    
    More Democrats are retiring than Republican, and many of the are
    Southern Democrats like Nunn who are more likely to be replaced by
    Republicans.
    
    Now the House is a different matter....
    
    /jim

    
      Well, it's finally happened.  Virginia's senate primary has
     produced a final election of John Warner vs. Mark Warner.
    
      This has never happened in the USA since before we started the
     direct election of senators.  There was a House seat between
     Griffith and Griffiths once, I think.  But never before a direct
     confrontation of the same family name.
    
      bb

 "Vote for Warner..you can't go wrong!"

  .49  i'm all goosey-pimply.

    Are they the same family?

re .49:

There is a husband/wife pair running against each other for (I think) a US
House seat from (I think) Washington.  I do not know if they use different
last names.

Glad I don't sit at their breakfast table ...