Scandals, war shadow GOP governors (36 gov races in '06)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/12/02/scandals_war_shadow_gop_governors/

LOS ANGELES -- Political fallout from corruption scandals and the Iraq war cast a pall over a gathering of Republican governors in Carlsbad, Calif., yesterday as GOP strategists and leaders acknowledged the party faces a tough climate for its 2006 campaigns.

''You'd have to be really disconnected from reality to not see and admit that Republicans nationally have gone through a tough patch here the last six or eight months," Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said. ''We should just acknowledge that."

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In a fluke, however, the setting of the annual GOP governors' conference symbolized the party's woes: a golf resort in the congressional district of Randy ''Duke" Cunningham, the Republican who resigned last week after pleading guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes. Cunningham's admission added to troubles that Republicans already faced from the indictments of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay; I. Lewis ''Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff; and Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The Republican governors also heard blunt talk from strategists on the difficulties they face next year, when voters will choose 36 governors at the same time as the mid-term congressional elections. GOP strategist Mike Murphy said voters might try to punish the unpopular president by voting against his Republican allies.

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than republican ones in 06. At least judging by approval ratings. Hopefully I am wrong.

:shrug: I only know I will not vote for a Republican

Governors have little to do with the Iraqi war except when they don't have the National Guard troops when needed. Katrina was a huge wakeup call to stop the radical slashing of government services that started in the 1980's with various tax-limitation measures and further cuts enacted by conservative legislatures. You can only defer maintenance and construction so long before shit starts to break and then it costs a lot more, but Repukes don't care - their snatch and grab approach to everything never looks at the long term. "I want mine and I want it now and I will try to take yours, too. Now that I'm on board, I will pull up the ladder behind me." is the Rethug mantra.

I think it is a bit funny that governors would be drawn into the Iraq mess.

In a fluke, however, the setting of the annual GOP governors' conference symbolized the party's woes: a golf resort in the congressional district of Randy ''Duke" Cunningham, the Republican who resigned last week after pleading guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes.:rofl:

laundering to b/c '04/Coingate, Bob Ney/Abramoff), the midterm elections are in the hands of Ken Blackwell. What should be a clean sweep will be muddled in frad, unless the Dems stand up with the GAO Report and evidence in hand and scream FOUL!