Max Baucus Retires and Democrats Celebrate, Nervously

[DonViejo]

By David Weigel | Posted Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at 10:43 AM

Really, they do! Sure, the fact that Montana Sen. Max Baucus will retire after six full terms means that Democrats will have to "defend an open seat." But for quite a while now, western progressives were making noise about challenging Baucus in a primary. Their ideal candidate: Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the bolo-tie-and-jeans wearing pro-coal populist. They suggested that a local pol with high favorables and little connection to Washington (though you could always pull his Obama-boosting 2008 convention speech) was a stronger candidate that a man who, since 2008..

- married a former staffer

- suggested that this former staffer, now wife, would be a solid U.S. attorney for Montana

- passed the least-popular version of the Affordable Care Act through his Finance Committee

- went on record worrying that implementation (stalled on many fronts in the states) would be a train wreck

- single-handedly populated much of K Street, though to be fair 36 years in Washington will have that effect.

Polling would give evidence to the haters. Two months ago Public Policy Polling found that Schweitzer would lead Baucus by 19 points if he faced him in a primary. Baucus trailed the GOP's best candidate, former Gov. Marc Racicot, by 5 points; Schweitzer trailed him by 1. (Republicans have been asking for Racicot to run ever since he left office.) But Baucus leaves behind a legacy of truly inspiring scorched-earth campaigns. He had $5 million in the bank, which was spooking possible opponents even despite his so-so poll numbers. No one had forgotten how he ethered the last Republican who seemed to have a shot against him.

A key Baucus staffer during that race was Jim Messina, better known now as the 2012 campaign manager for Obama-Biden

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/04/23/max_baucus_retires_and_democrats_celebrate_nervously.html

[CincyDem]

1. Maybe Harry will take this as a lesson in "movin' on". n/t

[vi5]

2. Dems better start working now...

They'll have to find another scapegoat that they can simultaneously fawn over, never hold accountable, and bend over backwards to give power and control to while then turning around and shrugging their shoulders at the rest of us and saying "Oh well. Nothing we could do!".

[TomCADem]

3. I Did Not Realize That Baucus is 74

It just strikes me just how old the folks on the Senate are. I guess when you think of former Senators like Strom Thurmond, 74 seems relatively young, but I really can't see myself continuing to go full bore at 74. Maybe this explains the non-chalance about raising the retirement age since so many Senators are over the age.

[BlueStater]

6. He's 71. N/T

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. Schweitzer is opposed to the type of gun advocated by some DUers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Schweitzer

"BOZEMAN — Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer says his position on gun control is one reason he couldn't step onto the national political stage.

"Political pundits have mentioned Schweitzer as a possible candidate for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

"The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports a bearded Schweitzer told some Montana State University students on Thursday that he couldn't give an acceptable answer to voters in states like Iowa and Florida if they asked him about gun control. He says his response would be something like: "You control yours, I'll control mine."

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/schweitzer-anti-gun-control-position-wouldn-t-fly/article_fff05f9a-a914-11e2-9771-001a4bcf887a.html

[graham4anything]

5. I would like to see a woman who is anti-gun

Aren't there any democratic women, especially one anti-gun who can secure the proper millions of dollar financing?

This could be an extremely good race where $$$ can beat the NRA $$

Don't let them say it can't be done.

Put the full $$$ and both President Obama and Clinton(both) out front campaigning in the general.

I do not back Schweitzer as of this moment

[premium]

7. An anti gun candidate?

In Montana?
You apparently have never lived in Montana, an anti gun candidate, whether a man or woman, wouldn't stand a chance of getting elected dog catcher, much less to the Senate.

[graham4anything]

10. Why? Some times it pays to exceed expectations. Women don't like killings from guns.

And with the Great Equalizer heavily financing anti-gun candidates, this takes care of one of the conundrum of supporting one of the four

You don't replace Joe Lieberman with Joe Lieberman

People are tired of the same old same old

[premium]

13. If I were you,

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an anti gun candidate, whether man or woman, getting elected in Montana.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Another one bits the dust.

This turd has been a knife in the back of all Progressives. The next in line is Sherod Brown on the Banking Committee. Notice how Wall Street and all of the so called Tax Cheats are lobbying Obama to reign in Brown and Warren. With Baucus out,the DLCer's lose a ton of control of our party. Despite what most think,our president is moving way to the right. Legacy tour has begun,compromise,compromise,compromise,Hillary's statement in New Hampshire rings true,lack of leadership skills are becoming evident.

[karynnj]

11. What are you talking about re Sherrod Brown?

The next in line in the banking committee is Jack Reed - except Reed will likely take the Armed Services with Levin leaving. The next in line behind him is Schumer. Baucus is on the FINANCE committee - I thing Ron Wyden is next (after Baucus and Rockefeller). After him, is Schumer.

What is fascinating after many years with the same chairs. This election will promote a lot of younger Senators. There are many Senators leaving who are now in their 5th or 6th term. The "replacements" have really been in the Senate a much shorter time. (ie - it is weird to thing that at the end of 2008, the SFRC had Biden, Dodd, Kerry, Feingold, Boxer, Bill Nelson (who left the committee) - all of whom were gone when Kerry left to be SOS. With Boxer wanting to stay with the Public Works and Environment committee, it made Menendez, who was appointed to the Senate in late 2005, when Corzine became Governor He took over as chair with slightly over 7 years on the committee - versus Kerry's becoming chair with 24 years on the committee.

Out of curiosity, knowing that all the Democrats first elected in 1984 have left or will leave, wondering why there is such a large gap for the next generation of chairs, I looked at summaries of the elections of 1986, 1988, 1990 - and found:

1986 - New Democratic Senators still here - Shelby (who became a Republican), Mikluski, Reid,
who left - Terry Sanford, Kent Conrad , Daschle and Adams

1988 - New Democratic Senators still here - none
who left - Lieberman, Bob Kerrey, Bryan, Robb, Kohl

1990 - New Democratic Senators still here - none
gone - Wellstone

1992 - New Democratic Senators still here - Feinstein, Boxer, Murray
who left - Feingold, Campbell who became Republican, Carol Mosely Braun, Dorgan

1994 - None

Given that Reid, Feinstein, Boxer, Murray, and Mikluski are already in important positions, this shows why the new guys have almost a decade less seniority than those they replaced.

[AlinPA]

9. He walks away with $5M in his campaign fund. That will buy another nice ranch in MT.

[tabbycat31]

12. I believe that is illegal