PAGING ASA HUTCHINSON

Another GOPer Opts Out (Dotty Lynch, Douglas Kiker, Steve Chaggaris and Clothilde Ewing, 8/28/03, CBS News)

Wednesday, Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., nixed a run against Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln, who Republicans are hoping to knock off in 2004. "This is not the time to abandon the job I have," Huckabee said at a news conference yesterday.

Huckabee’s decision is interesting since he is term-limited when his term expires in 2006 and he could have run for the Senate while sitting as
governor. Perhaps he’s setting his sights on taking on first-term Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., in 2008.

Meantime, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., who was widely expected to seriously challenge Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid, decided Monday he’ll stay in the House. "There is no doubt in my mind that I could defeat the existing senator on Election Day, but my decision has nothing to do with Sen. Harry Reid," Gibbons said at a news conference.

Other Republicans abandoning Senate bids in 2004 include: former college basketball coach Dale Brown against Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.; Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., against Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. (although Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Wash., did decide to run); and HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., against Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., is still waiting to hear if he’ll have a formidable GOP challenger. There’s talk about former Rep. John Thune, R-S.D. - who lost a 2002 Senate race by 524 votes - taking him on.

One negative, though entirely worthwhile, aspect of the GOP having a hammerlock on the House for the forseeable future is that more senior
members who are in line for significant leadership positions and committee chairs are likely to stay put in their safe seats rather than go expend maximal effort to become very junior members of the Senate. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 28, 2003 12:58 PM