Sunday, January 11, 2009

Thune comments on Voinovich's retirement

South Dakota Senator John Thune:

"It makes John Cornyn's job a little bit more difficult, and I think it's always harder to defend an open seat than it is an incumbent, particularly an incumbent that's in good shape back home."

It's easy to anticipate conservative blogger reax to the Voinovich retirement: Good riddance! (here's a little somethin'-somethin' from Michelle Malkin) But Democrats now have an excellent chance to pick up another seat, and whoever it is will be as or more liberal than Voinovich.

Can we agree? One moderate Republican Senator > than one moderate Democratic Senator. To a lot of reactionaries, it isn't -- King George III was more honorable than the traitor Benedick Arnold (honest misspelling). Purge the ranks! they scream. Maybe he was, but Voinovich never switched parties and caucused with the Democrats. Key difference there.

Politico reports:

In addition to Voinovich, three Republican senators are resigning at the end of their term: Kit Bond of Missouri, another former governor from the Midwest, Mel Martinez of Florida and Sam Brownback of Kansas. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison could leave another vacancy if she resigns her Senate seat and decides to run for governor of Texas.

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