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GOP Plans?

News   December 18, 2009 at 1:27 pm Josh Feit

This unsolicited, touchy email  just in from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee:

This is from Jennifer Crider, DCCC spokeswoman:

“It’s laughable that the NRCC is whispering to reporters that Rick Larsen is retiring.  Just 40 more ridiculous rumors from the NRCC and it’ll be like they have the majority.”

Okay.

I guess the DCCC is feeling a little defensive about being blindsided by Rep. Brian Baird’s (D-WA, 3) recent announcement that he’s not running for reelection.

While Rep. Larsen (D-WA, 2) may not be retiring, I will say this: I’ve heard from a reliable GOP insider that the Washington State Republican Party has a solid challenger queued up to run against Larsen.

I’ve also heard the state GOP Chair Luke Esser and state Attorney General Rob McKenna are pushing Susan Hutchison to run against U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who’s up for reelection next year.

The WSRP would not comment. I’m still waiting to hear back from Hutchison.




  • Mikos

    re: “solid challenger” Okay Josh… The Republicans thought Hutchison was a solid candidate. Most of us thought Mike McGavick was a solid candidate. But the truth is, the Republicans are facing an existential crisis on this side of the mountains and no one can know for sure what a “solid candidate” is when he/she has an R next to their name. Republicans still think the 3rd CD is their district. That’s the sort of delusion they are under right now.

  • Mikos

    re: “solid challenger” Okay Josh… The Republicans thought Hutchison was a solid candidate. Most of us thought Mike McGavick was a solid candidate. But the truth is, the Republicans are facing an existential crisis on this side of the mountains and no one can know for sure what a “solid candidate” is when he/she has an R next to their name. Republicans still think the 3rd CD is their district. That’s the sort of delusion they are under right now.

  • Michael M.

    Rick Larsen will cruise to victory. While his first two elections were small margins, he has cemented himself as a solid representative in a district that, while not as far to the left as King County, has been trending more and more Democrat over the years. There are no credible challengers from the GOP that I can think of in the 2nd CD, and just as Mikos said, just because the GOP thinks they have a good challenger, doesn’t mean they actually do.

  • http://peacetreefarm.org N in Seattle

    There is one and only one “solid” Republican candidate for a major statewide office. And we know already that he’s going to run for Governor in the next cycle.

    No other Republican would have a whisper of a prayer of viability against Patty … they have no major league bench, no AAA, no AA, no nothin’ except for McKenna.

  • http://peacetreefarm.org N in Seattle

    There is one and only one “solid” Republican candidate for a major statewide office. And we know already that he’s going to run for Governor in the next cycle.

    No other Republican would have a whisper of a prayer of viability against Patty … they have no major league bench, no AAA, no AA, no nothin’ except for McKenna.

  • Bill

    let’s hope that it’s state senator Dale Brantland (sp?)
    He’d get crushed and we’d likely pick up his senate seat.

    And Hutchison against Murray?!?! That’s wackier than when they put Joe Marine up against Inslee in ’02 after Brian Sullivan knocked him out of the state house. But it is consistent.

  • Bill

    let’s hope that it’s state senator Dale Brantland (sp?)
    He’d get crushed and we’d likely pick up his senate seat.

    And Hutchison against Murray?!?! That’s wackier than when they put Joe Marine up against Inslee in ’02 after Brian Sullivan knocked him out of the state house. But it is consistent.

  • Tyler

    I’d love to see Hutchinson go against Murry. The Democrats could use another cakewalk

  • Tyler

    I’d love to see Hutchinson go against Murry. The Democrats could use another cakewalk

  • Greg

    Why would the GOP push Hutchison to run? She says she’s not even a Republican…

  • Greg

    Why would the GOP push Hutchison to run? She says she’s not even a Republican…

  • Michael G

    Jim McDermott had better watch out; I hear there is a “solid Republican” in the seventh district too.

  • Michael G

    Jim McDermott had better watch out; I hear there is a “solid Republican” in the seventh district too.

  • J.R.

    Running Hutchison against Murray is a weird idea. Hutchison campaigned well against Constantine, even if the final numbers didn’t show it, but there’s no reason to believe that she’d do any better against Patty than Mike! McGavick did against Maria.

    Beyond that, Susan just spent the last year telling people that she is neither 1) a career politican nor 2)a Republican. So she’s going to admit she was lying on both counts?

    The Republican Party in Washington State is looking weaker with each major election.

  • J.R.

    Running Hutchison against Murray is a weird idea. Hutchison campaigned well against Constantine, even if the final numbers didn’t show it, but there’s no reason to believe that she’d do any better against Patty than Mike! McGavick did against Maria.

    Beyond that, Susan just spent the last year telling people that she is neither 1) a career politican nor 2)a Republican. So she’s going to admit she was lying on both counts?

    The Republican Party in Washington State is looking weaker with each major election.

  • Chris Stefan

    @7
    Who, Stefan Sharkansky? At least he could probably self-finance with the settlement he got from King County.

  • Chris Stefan

    @7
    Who, Stefan Sharkansky? At least he could probably self-finance with the settlement he got from King County.

  • RonK, Seattle

    Dem Chair Dwight Pelz and whoever the D’s like for the 3rd Congressional District should also be pushing Hutchison to run statewide.

  • RonK, Seattle

    Dem Chair Dwight Pelz and whoever the D’s like for the 3rd Congressional District should also be pushing Hutchison to run statewide.

  • Michael M.

    Rick Larsen will cruise to victory. While his first two elections were small margins, he has cemented himself as a solid representative in a district that, while not as far to the left as King County, has been trending more and more Democrat over the years. There are no credible challengers from the GOP that I can think of in the 2nd CD, and just as Mikos said, just because the GOP thinks they have a good challenger, doesn't mean they actually do.