60-40 VISION

Why Tom Daschle may not run again (Albert Eisele, 4/09/03, The Hill)

If what I read in my own newspaper is right, and it usually is, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) better get ready to face a stiff challenge from former Rep. John Thune next year.

Thune, who was the handpicked choice of President Bush--and?Karl Rove--to knock off Daschle?s junior Democratic colleague, Sen. Tim Johnson, last year, but fell 524 votes short, is apparently gearing up to try again, this time against the state?s most popular politician.

It?s a tall order. Beating Daschle is as daunting as rappelling up the face of Mount Rushmore. Even if Bush were to buy a ranch in the Black Hills and spend every weekend there, I wouldn?t bet against Daschle. I?ve traveled around the state with him, and even Republicans are proud that he was their state?s first Senate majority leader and could be that again.

Aye, but that?s the rub. I?m not convinced Daschle is going to run, and I?ll tell you why. There are several reasons, the first of which is that Democrats aren?t likely to recapture control of the Senate next year...

This may all come down to how serious the candidates are that the GOP recruits to run against Charles Schumer, Barbara Boxer, Patty Murray, & Blanche Lincoln. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 24, 2003 8:18 PM