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Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The Republican sojourn into the wilderness
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chatting with a couple of plugged-in Georgia Republicans this week, November’s national spanking by voters was a natural topic of conversation — as well as the odds of a quick comeback. They’re not as good as one might think.
The situation in the U.S. House is less than clear — all members will be up for re-election in 2008. But the fact that we’ve had only two changes shifts of power in 50 years is a clue in and of itself.
In the Senate, only 33 seats are up for grabs in ‘08. Of those, 21 are now held by Republicans, 12 by Democrats. The greater exposure on the GOP side — and the fact that Democrats will have no problem raising money — makes it more likely that Republicans could drop a seat or two, solidifying Democratic rule.
So Republicans may be looking at an exile that lasts at least four years. Maybe forty.
