One Down, Three To Go

by DM

Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley has defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith in a race that was to close to call yesterday. Congratulations Mr. Merkley!

The Minnesota race between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and DFL challenger Al Franken remains undecided at this time, and it should not surprise anyone that optical-scan machines made by Election Systems & Software failed pre-election accuracy tests in Michigan. It looks like there might be a special election for a run-off between the two.

I thought that Franken would win this race out-right, and it does not surprise me that voting machine irregularities (a preferred tactic of the GOP) have arisen in a race where the GOP seemed to be going down to defeat.

In Georgia, incumbent Saxby Chambliss is struggling to hold his seat in a race with Democrat Jim Martin; and it looks like those two will be heading to a special run-off, too.

In Alaska, convicted felon, Republican incumbent Ted Stevens still holds a narrow lead over Democrat Mark Begich, and a recount continues.

Alaska is the most dangerous race. If Stevens holds his seat, his colleagues in the Senate could expel him and the Governor of Alaska could appoint a successor. Herein lies the rub. The Governor of Alaska is Sarah Palin, the immoral boob who helped bring the GOP to defeat in the presidential race. If Stevens wins and he is expelled, she will likely appoint herself as Senator.

I think the Democratic Senate should think twice about expelling Stevens. Palin needs to be stopped now, before a karlrovian machine can make her a cult hero to the right-wing christian whack-jobs who have been chased from power. If Stevens prevails, he should be allowed to hold his seat, and all calls to expel him should be ignored. Let's not give Palin a national platform!

Much joy can be found in the defeats of incumbent Republican Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John E. Sununu of New Hampshire. These two, along with Oregon's Sen. Gordon Smith have been beaten outright. Now, if the other three can go down, the voice of the American people will be even louder and clearer than it has already been: We may not know what we want, but we know we don't want what we've had the past eight years!



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