The Republican melt down is going to have one major impact in 2014.

[grantcart]

Candidate recruitment.

Republicans are going to have a near impossible job recruiting mainstream candidates to challenge Democratic incumbents in Congressional races. Those that will put themselves forward will be those that want to join the kamikaze brigade.

Democrats on the other hand will be able to recruit a much stronger class of candidates to run against Republicans.

It is an especially ironic turn of events given that the shutdown strategy was all about letting Republican congress people avoid getting primaried by Tea Party nut jobs.

Trying to keep safe from primaries will put a number of districts in play for the general election.

[lostincalifornia]

1. They can't. There party is too infested with the tea party

[The Magistrate]

2. I Agree, Sir

[beachbum bob]

3. no shortage of extreme egotists lurking in the teaparty realm

but that will only help the democrats.

[HooptieWagon]

4. Yes, moderate repugs will be primaried or decide to retire....

like Bill Young, who decided not to run for reelection citing health and partisanship (though he participated). I expect a teabagger to run (although none have declared yet), but this is a moderate district leaning Dem.
Dems do need to put up good candidates, though. There is a Dem running for the seat, but unknown. Would be a good race for former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio to enter, as she has good name recognition, voters remember her favorably, and she would be an effective representative. She'd also be a good gov candidate too.

[Jim Lane]

5. Re candidate recruitment: I hope Obama is finally ticked off enough to get more involved.

I've heard the criticism in past years that Obama didn't make enough use of his office, his personal appeal, and the OfA apparatus in support of Democratic campaigns in the Senate and House.

If I were Obama, I'd be telling the DSCC and especially the DCCC that it's now a priority. If there's a popular state legislator who'd be a strong candidate but is reluctant to give up a safe seat for an iffy run, maybe a personal phone call from the President of the United States would make the difference. He should also let it be known that he'll be much more available for rallies and fundraising and whatever else is needed.

[DFW]

6. The Republicans will field only crazies and incumbents

The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

BUT-----they will have five times as much as money as we do, and pre-gerrymandered districts.

Don't go counting chickens that will never hatch.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. the GOP will probably think of ways to overcome their haemorrhaging

they have the big bucks. However if the big bucks go away then................