Just in: Another GOP says no to 2006 race

Another GOP candiate decides to forgo a 2006 Senate race:

West Virginia GOP Rep. Shelley Moore Capito announced Monday she will not challenge U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd in 2006.

Capito will seek a fourth term in the U.S. House, and Byrd announced last week that he would seek a ninth term in the Senate.

State party ad challenges Hoeven’s commit to ND

Hoeven’s press person Don Canton has been reported saying that timing of Hoeven's announcement to not run in 2006 had nothing to do with the release of an upcoming television ad. The ad produced by the state Democratic party challenges Hoeven’s commitment to the people of ND to serve as Governor for four years. The ad is based upon a 2004 television interview in which the interviewer, who is off camera, says to Hoeven: "You'll fill out your term, no matter what." Hoeven replies: "I'm running for four years, absolutely."

It would seem odd that a newly elected governor would suddenly decide to run for another office. Wouldn’t that seem like someone who was merely putting his personal political ambitions ahead of the best interests of his state? But it seems that Governor Hoeven has spoken, "I'm running for four years, absolutely."

Don’t sell out ND, Hoeven, for your personal political ambitions.

The tide is turning.... 2006 to be big year for Democrats

In response to the recent decision by Hoeven not to run for the Senate, US Senator Charles Schumer has been reported saying: “Today’s news is more evidence that running as a Republican could be hazardous to your health in 2006.”

Let's do a brief roll call of the candidates GOP has failed to recruit for 2006:

North Dakota
Today, Governor John Hoeven announced he will not challenge Kent Conrad in 2006, “depriving Republicans of someone they considered their strongest candidate against the Democratic incumbent.” Last weekend, Karl Rove visited North Dakota and met with Hoeven, and just yesterday the Washington Times reported, “The White House has promised to give Mr. Hoeven its fullest support if he runs.”

Vermont
In April, Senator Jim Jeffords announced that he would not be running for re-election. Immediately, Governor Jim Douglas was widely labeled as the strongest potential Republican candidate for the Senate seat, with one local paper noting that Douglas “is expected to face intense pressure from Republicans in Washington to enter the Senate race.” Douglas spoke to NRSC Chair Sen. Elizabeth Dole and to at least one White House official before announcing that he would not run for the Senate.

Michigan
Last December, President Bush publicly urged Congresswoman Candice Miller, telling her Chief of Staff, “You need to tell her she needs to run for the Senate,” before calling the Congresswoman personally. Described as “the party's top choice,” Miller announced in January that she would not run for Senate. As one Detroit columnist noted, “Top Republicans with safe jobs looked at this, and shook their heads. No, thank you.”

Florida
Since last November, Florida Republicans have been urged unsuccessfully to enter the 2006 Senate race, including Governor Jeb Bush. Even after Katherine Harris announced her candidacy for the seat, the White House and NRSC continued to speak to Republicans about getting into the race, with a huge focus on Florida House Speaker Allan Bense and former Congressman Joe Scarborough, both of whom subsequently decided not to enter the Senate race.

Washington
Labeled “Republicans' brightest star,” 2004 candidate for Governor Dino Rossi announced in July that he would not challenge Senator Maria Cantwell in 2006. The AP reported that Rossi’s decision process froze the field in place until he told the salivating national party that he was declining their call to duty. Polls had showed Rossi as the strongest Republican candidate. Rossi’s announcement came just one week after Sen. Elizabeth Dole was in Washington, personally urging Rossi to enter the race.

Nebraska
In August, Omaha World-Herald, reported that Republicans have failed to recruit a top-tier challenger for Senator Ben Nelson in Nebraska. When pressed to change his decision to run for reelection and instead challenge Nelson, Governor Dave Heineman said “that on a scale of zero to 100 his interest in the Senate race is ‘minus-1000 and dropping.’” Heineman joined former Governor and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, Rep. Tom Osborne, and NE Attorney General Jon Bruning as prominent Nebraska Republicans who have declined to challenge Nelson. Most recently, when the White House asked former Senator Dave Karnes to run for his old job, he too said no.

New York
And finally my favorite! Since the GOP hate the Clintons so much and it doesn't even matter if it's Bill or Hillary: In New York, Republicans failed to draw a top-tier challenger to Sen. Hillary Clinton when Governor George Pataki and former New York City Mayor Rudi Giuliani both declined to run for the Senate.

The tide is turning.... 2006 will be a big year for Democrats!

Hoeven said no to running in 2006

This just in: Hoeven says he won't run for U.S. Senate in 2006

It's just too good to be true!!!

Here's the article in full:

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Gov. John Hoeven says he will not run against U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad next year, depriving Republicans of someone they considered their strongest candidate against the Democratic incumbent.

"A day may come when we ask the people of North Dakota to allow us to serve them in a different capacity, but that time is not now," Hoeven said Friday in a brief statement issued by his office.

"The outpouring of support and encouragement I have received to run for the United States Senate is truly humbling, but as I have said, repeatedly, I am focused squarely on the job of governor," his statement said.

Hoeven could not be reached immediately for additional comment. He was overwhelmingly re-elected last year, defeating Democrat Joe Satrom with more than 70 percent of the vote. A recent independent poll, commissioned by The Forum newspaper, showed Hoeven making a strong showing against Conrad.

Republicans have been attempting to push Hoeven into a race against Conrad, who is seeking re-election in 2006. A former state tax commissioner, Conrad was first elected to the Senate in 1986, upsetting Republican Mark Andrews, who had been in Congress for 23 years.

Since Conrad's victory, North Dakota's congressional delegation has been entirely Democratic. Only Rep. Earl Pomeroy has had close races against GOP challengers, despite Republican arguments that North Dakota needed a GOP voice in a Republican-controlled Congress.

Conrad professed to be unworried about the prospect of running against Hoeven, but he began running a television campaign ad statewide earlier this month, touting his work on energy and highway legislation and promoting his role in helping to ensure the Grand Forks Air Force Base survived a national round of base closings.

If Hoeven had undertaken a campaign, it was uncertain what issues he would emphasize. The governor has not made a point of drawing distinctions between his own policy views and those held by the Democratic delegation.

The governor even declared himself a Democrat in February 1996, while party activists were trying to interest him in running against incumbent GOP Gov. Ed Schafer, and spoke warmly of Dorgan and Conrad.

Hoeven subsequently switched parties, and was able to wrest the Republican endorsement for governor in 2000 from Gary Nelson, the Republicans' majority leader in the state Senate. It was Hoeven's first campaign for public office; in the general election race for governor, he defeated Democratic Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp.

Hoeven, a Minot banker, became active in state government when he was hired as president of the state-owned Bank of North Dakota in 1993. He resigned the position in 2000 to devote full time to his first campaign for governor.

Stverak needs to get his priorities in order

I really loved Stverak's recent letter in the Grand Forks Herald. It is so comical as he tries to say that Hoeven's comment to serve ND for a full term was not really a promise to serve a full term. (What?)

That's great, so Governor Hoeven really doesn't care about serving ND as our Governor? So, Hoeven is just waiting until a bigger and better position comes along? Hmm... it sounds like Stverak (like Rove) is encouraging Hoeven to put his personal political ambitions ahead of the best interests of ND.

Is this really what's best for our state? To let someone say yes, I will serve ND UNTIL Rove tells that me that I should run for another office in 2006? Is this how a real statesman acts? I think the Republicans (Stverak included) need to get their priorities in order: ND should always be number one, not personal political ambitions.

Link Online poll says Hoeven should not run

People are speaking out against Gov. Hoeven running in 2006 against Conrad. KXMB has an online poll asking viewers if Hoeven should challenge Conrad. The online poll reports so far that 66% have responded "NO!" to a Hoeven running for U.S. Senate.

Why can't Hoeven just listen to ND's rather than Rove? The people are speaking and they are saying NO to a Hoeven v. Conrad race.

Link Hoeven's personal political ambitions vs. ND

"John Hoeven is going to do what John Hoeven wants to do," Rep. Ron Iverson, R-N.D said recently about Hoeven's potential run for Senate in '06.

If this is true, will Hoeven put his personal politicial ambitons ahead of the best interests of ND?

I think we have a dynamic team representing North Dakota in the U.S. Senate (Conrad and Dorgan) and U.S. House (Pomeroy). The Dakota Boys and Hoeven used to be a stellar team, too, until Rove began dangling transparent carrots in front of Hoeven.

Now Hoeven and his personal political ambitions are being fueled by Rove and causing partisan problems and encouraging Hoeven's go-it-alone attitude (remember the Devils Lake situation this summer?). I don't know why Rove is turning ND into his personal turf war. We have a good thing going here. Is this Hoeven-Rove relationship really what's best for ND?

Hoeven should just say no to Rove

More and more North Dakotans are wondering what dirty tricks Rove has up his sleeve and if Hoeven will sell out ND for a possible Senate bid in '06. Is Hoeven and Rove's newfound friendship really what’s best for ND? Rove and his cronies have created and passed legislation that is destructive to our farmers and ranchers. Despite the fact that Hoeven touts himself as a moderate, Rove is looking for someone who will “forgo state interests” for political gain. Rove does politics. Rove doesn’t do ND. Why can’t Hoeven see that Rove is bad news for ND? Is Hoeven strong enough to say just say no to Rove? Or will Hoeven sell out and put his personal political ambitions ahead of ND?

Check this out

If you get a chance, check out this new progressive blog in ND http://www.areavoices.com/commonsense/. It's a whole lot of "Common Sense."

Link For Conrad and Furness, ND is the top priority

The Forum got it right today: the Republicans' whining over the recent Conrad campaign commercial is "downright silly." Mayor Furness is under heat from his party because he participated in a commercial touting Conrad's accomplishments for the state. With those two sentences uttered by Furness, the Republicans got their undies in a bundle and immediately demanded an explantion for his actions.

In the words of Zaleski "they ought to relax," he continues:

"Anyone who’s followed the mayor’s tenure knows he puts his city ahead of his political inclinations. Whether for flood control, law enforcement, airport funding, NDSU research money or preserving the Air Guard base in Fargo, Mayor Furness knows how to work closely and effectively with the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation. That’s not because he’s suddenly become a Democrat; it’s because his priority is the welfare of his city – and that should not be a political issue."

For Conrad and Furness, ND is the top priority.

ND's speak out against Hoeven's connection with Rove

North Dakotans are upset with Hoeven welcoming Rove and his dirty politics to our state. Recent letters in the Fargo Forum question why Hoeven wants to associate himself with such a crowd like Rove – a man who does not share ND values – and Johanns – whose AG policies do nothing to benefit our farmers and ranchers.

What is Hoeven thinking? Has he lost sight of what’s best for ND because he is blinded by his personal political ambitions?