GOP Optimistic About 2010 Senate Chances

(CBS)  This story was written by CBS News' Director of Political Coverage Steve Chaggaris.

The new head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., said today the landscape will be different for 2010's Senate races as compared to last November's elections because "George Bush will not be in office."

"Now, what's different about 2010 than 2008? Well, George Bush is one of them," Cornyn told reporters at the NRSC headquarters in Washington. His point was that many of the attack ads run against Republican candidates in 2008 "involved references to their connection with George Bush ... taking advantage of his low poll numbers and trying to tie that candidate to the president."

Cornyn also pointed out that President-elect Barack Obama won't be on the ballot in 2010, which he thinks "presents an opportunity" for Republicans.

"There's no denying the phenomenon that the Obama campaign was in American politics," Cornyn said. "In a midterm election, a non-presidential election year, there won't be the kind of turnout you would ordinarily expect in a presidential year, nor will there be, I believe, the kind of enthusiasm you saw on the Democrat side."

The 2010 midterms are shaping up to be an uphill battle for Republicans; they'll be defending 19 seats while the Democrats have 17 seats up. And four Republicans have already announced they will not be running for re-election: Sens. George Voinovich, R-Ohio; Kit Bond, R-Mo., and Mel Martinez, R-Fla. - all from toss-up states. The fourth retiree, Sen. Sam Brownback is from Kansas, where popular term-limited Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius may decide to run for Senate.

If that's not enough stress, the pressure will be on for the Republicans not to lose any seats. Currently holding only 41 seats, if the GOP drops below that number, they hand the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority, losing their last institutional power as the minority party.

In fact, Cornyn is using says they plan to use that as part of their strategy in next year's Senate races.

"I think there's a natural aversion of the American people to put all their eggs in one political basket. And we're going to be reminding them that that would happen if in fact the Democrats did get a filibuster-proof supermajority."

Looking past the adversity, however, Cornyn sees opportunities, many of them created by Barack Obama himself.

"First he's eliminated two key strong state office holders - [Agriculture Secretary nominee] Tom Vilsack and [Homeland Security Secretary nominee] Janet Napolitano - from running for Senate in 2010," Cornyn pointed out. He mentioned the Delaware seat that will be vacated by Vice President-elect Joe Biden tomorrow (to be filled through the 2010 special election by Biden aide Ted Kaufman) as another "opportunity."

In addition, Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton and Energy Secretary nominee Ken Salazar's seats "provide us opportunities," said Cornyn.

A virtual unknown statewide in Colorado, Denver Public Schools superintendent Michael Bennet took Salazar's place and, Cornyn mocked, "the idea that Caroline Kennedy, having never run for office before, could be the next senator from New York" gives the Republicans "opportunities."

He also thinks the way the appointment of Roland Burris to fill Mr. Obama's vacant Senate seat was handled has given the Republicans a real shot in Illinois in 2010, something they never thought possible in the state where Republicans have had trouble getting elected statewide in recent years.

"As a result of the national embarrassment that has occurred here in Washington with regard to the Roland Burris affair, and the cloud that will invariably follow Mr. Burris as United States Senator, having been appointed by a soon to be indicted governor for corruption. That's an opportunity, I think, for us," said Cornyn.

It's unclear whether the 71-year-old Burris, who will be sworn in Thursday, will run in 2010, but clearly Cornyn is salivating at the prospect.

"I don't see how Mr. Burris can separate himself from the situation in which he was appointed."

[antoniof123]

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex (now I see what planet this guy is from) OZ.....

The GOP will lose more seat next election in fact 4 Senators are leaving so that is 4 more extra seats they must defend. Not to metion that their are 19 seats up for reelection in the GOP next election.

Any one think that the GOP will gain seats.

LOL......

[assemblyofso]

It will only take Hillary a few months to push Obama aside. Once she and Bill are back in power, nothing but Democrats will be elected for the next 12 years.

Republicans won''t have a chance unless Obama gets some Chicago mobsters to take care of the situation.

[biblethumpar]

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., said today the landscape will be different for 2010''s Senate races as compared to last November''s elections because "George Bush will not be in office...

now theres one more Texas Slimeball Crook speaking in tongues (Lying) to the nation again.

[merlgrey]

hakori- thanks, no prob. i just didnt want to get lumped into that group! youre right, it is easy with these types. all i can assume is that all these people listen to all day is right wing ''entertainment'' such as rush, hannity, coulter, et all, and believe it as news and fact. its all shrouded in false patriotism and fear with a hint of racism. im not even an obama supporter or a dem (or a repub).

[merlgrey]

merlgrey, last time I checked, a poor person''''s vote counted every bit as much as yours!
Posted by Hakori at 08:00 AM : Jan 15, 2009

merlgrey, elections are not won based on land area. They are based on votes received. Your claim that "Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare", is typical rignt-wing racism. The democrats won this election by a landslide regardless of how you frame the election. Republicans lost for good reasons that you obviously aren''''t aware of, or you''''re such a mindless right-winger you can''''t see the obvious. You people tried to frame the 2000 election the same way. I remember a right-wing talking head talking about the land area won by Bush, eventhough Gore won more votes. Well, this time you lost so badly there was no question. GET OVER IT!
Posted by Hakori at 07:56 AM : Jan 15, 2009

hey hakori- ahhh- leap before you look.. i was debunking the claim....responding to an earlier post by someone forwarding a right wing mass email trying to look smart.

rowdie- shouldnt you be busy getting another online masters degree in dog grooming or something?

[usclimey]

"As you will read in the transcript below, it appears that Rush''s instincts on this story were right, but the staff forced him to read a hoax. Joseph Olson is a professor at Hamline University, but he has posted the following disclaimer on his website in reference to a version of the story that Rush read on-air.

"DISCLAIMER: There is an e-mail floating around the internet dealing with the 2000 Bush/Gore election, remarks of a Scotish philosopher named Alexander Tyler, etc. Part of it is attributed to me. It is entirely BOGUS as to my authorship. I''ve been trying to kill it since December 2000."

Now what do you say Minge. BTW do you know what a minge is in England? Very similar to c*** in this country - very appropriate in your case I''d say.

[omnibus66]

Sounds like Cornyn is drowning in the GOP Kool-Aid. These ''opportunities'' are nothing more than Ann Colter wet dreams. Does he truly believe that we will forget the destruction that the Repugs brought upon this country so soon?

Bush may not be on the ballot in 2010, but his ''legacy'' will still be strong.

[babooph]

There should be enough rich, Christian whacos & deluded rednecks to get them in ?

[exusmcsgt]

I hate to tell you all this, but guess what GOP is not dead and will not be dead. You people need to understand that.

Posted by truthMatter at 11:02 PM : Jan 14, 2009

Maybe not dead, but it''s been reduced to a voiceless fringe movement leaving it irrelevant....

[exusmcsgt]

"the landscape will be different for 2010''s Senate races as compared to last November''s elections because "George Bush will not be in office."
---
When leaders in your own party publicly admit that your being gone improves their chances of winning an election, that''s about as bad as it can get.

What Cronyn is not taking into account, however, is the fact that the remaining Repubs were all in lock step with Dubya in his stupidity.....a fact that won''t be forgotten by 2010.