You guys do realize that Obama isn't up for re-election in November, right?

[rucky]

Then why is all of our mid-term talk tied to Obama, instead of discussing the merits of individual members of Congress who are up for reelection? Or promising challengers to stale and crusty incumbents?

I'll start: In November I'll be voting for Lee Fisher for the Senate & Justin Coussoule for the House - he's challenging The Boehner.

This is pretty much a no-brainer. I'm sure there are some DU-ers out there with tougher decisions to make. Let's hear 'em!

[xchrom]

1. What I find interesting is that crist will probably

Get a lot of dem votes.
Even support on du.

It reminds me of the California recall.

[LostinVA]

3. Is there a Green candidate in FL?

If so, why aren't FL Dems supporting her/him?

[xchrom]

5. lol!!!

:spank: bad Lost -- bad!

[LostinVA]

6. hahahaha

It is surprising they aren't being mentioned.

[xchrom]

8. shhhhh!

you weren't supposed to notice!

[Greyhound]

32. That's what happens when Democrats act like republiks.

Seems there was some kind of quote about this from Truman?
:banghead:

[elocs]

2. It's naive to believe that Obama has absolutely nothing to do with November's elections. n/t

[rucky]

7. We've already heard that he does. Plenty.

We haven't heard how it leads to individual decisions of how people are voting in their state elections.

Shouldn't the people actually on the ballot weigh just a little bit in that decision? If so, why aren't we talking about it?

[old mark]

4. NO problems here in PA - we WILL vote for Joe Sestak for Senate,

Dan Onorato for governor and for EVERY OTHER Democrat running for every office in this election.

We have not voted for a republican in the last 18 years we have been together, and there is no reaon to start now...

I don't want any republican in any elected office anywhere ever again.

Where is the problem?

mark

[mmonk]

9. The media is nationalizing the elections as a referendum on Obama.

People tend to follow suit (as do politicians in making their decisions). We have become too much of an executive branch country and have lost focus on ourselves and our society's needs.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. I have a tougher choice. My "progressive" Democrat Congressman has voted to continue

to fund war, voted to continue to spying on Americans, voted to bail out the banksters, voted to fill the coffers of health insurance companies, etc etc.

So I'm in a quandary here as he has voted not only against for what he had stood for, and has voted against my interests.

[rucky]

11. How tight is the race?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. Too early to tell. He just announced his bid for re-election a few days ago. He won

handily last time around due to pumped up funding. When he first won the seat, he won by a hair against an incumbent Bushbot. In fact, he was on Karl Rove's Congressional hit list after that win. I think that that funding from his last campaign came with the help of Rahm and ergo, his votes.

[nevergiveup]

12. If his opponent would better represent your interests

then it is a no-brainer that you vote for him. If it is a toss-up then you might want to decide whether you you would prefer Nancy Pelosi or John Boehner as Speaker of the House.

[rucky]

14. One of many factors.

not exactly a no-brainer, though, if you want to do something in your power as a voter to make your reps listen. One vote in one race won't sway the house & maybe there's the luxury of sending a message, or maybe not. When a rep (D or R) stands for something, voters turn out. If we reward them whether they do or don't, what incentive do they have to do the right thing?

Maybe the quickest way to election reform is to give our elected officials fewer and fewer reasons to ever think their seat is safe?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. Please don't use scare tactics to assist me with how to vote. I am

tired of voting for the lesser of the evils because you always wind up voting for just that, evil.

[ThomWV]

15. Everytime a 1st-term President opens his mouth he's up for re-election

because people have memories.

[DCBob]

16. Obama is a factor, that cannot be avoided. He is the leader of the party, by default.

The GOPers are also going to try to make this an election about taking control away from the Dems to "repeal" the "socialist" legislation that was passed recently.

[TreasonousBastard]

17. EVERY midterm Congressional election is about the President-- always has been...

and always will be. I'm fried that the teabaggers around here have had signs up for months talking about how Tim Bishop and Pelosi have their hands in our wallets. No mention of Obama, but the signs have a stylized background that looks suspiciously like Obama's campaign logo. Don't doubt for a minute that they blame everything on the White House.

That said, Congressional races should have some local issues to run on. Depending on how the district sees Obama, the Democratic candidate, incumbent or not, will associate with the White House or run away but should be talking about local economic and other conditions. Every congresscritter out there has jobs and projects to take credit for and local concerns to address.

[Aristus]

18. I'm voting for "Fighting" Patty Murray, one of Washington's two terrific lady Senators.

She's up against two-time repuke loser "Do-over Dino" Rossi. Damn straight I'm going to the polls this November!

[rucky]

20. Is the race as tight as last time Dino ran?

I guess the whiners will be motivated to the polls, but how about our side?

Washington politics is never boring.

[Aristus]

23. He's certainly not as visible this cycle so far as he has been in the past.

I hope he disappears for good soon, and takes f*****g Tim Eyman ( :grr::mad::nuke: ) with him...

[zeemike]

19. In a way he is.

If the GOP takes the house or Senate then his presidency is basically over...he will get nothing done and will spend the next 2 years fighting off impeachment.
It is far more important than you think in this cock-a-mame world we live in.

[nightrain]

21. of course it's a referendum on Obama...

I have a bonafide new member of the New Dem coalition as a US Congressperson. Only less than 2 years in office. He ran as a sorta progressive. My, how they do want the progressive vote, then he has voted to fund the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, to increase citizen surveillance, for this POS health insurance fraud, and plenty of other despicable acts.

In all good conscience I cannot and will not vote again for this charlatan. There is a crappy Republican running against him. I haven't decided if I would even vote for a Republican, but I'm surely not voting for this guy.

We are so often faced with this dilemma of the lesser of two evils. One of my friends said to me, better to let a Republican get the seat for a couple of years than to ensconce another Blue Dog or New Dem in a seat for 20-30 years! We have several great progressive possibiliies for 2012 fortunately.

I am sick of voting for these creeps who turn out to be New Dems or Blue Dogs after posing as progressives.

[Warren Stupidity]

22. Because one third of DU has decided that this is a purity test and loyalty oath issue.

I liked my framing of this better as I got accused of being stupid by people who couldn't actually read my post.

[lunatica]

24. I'm voting for Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer

On their own merits.

[rbrnmw]

26. I am definitely Voting Democrat

My Reps are Joe Wilson and Jim Demint need I say more
but It a;ready doesn't look good fot Greene I called offered to help I haven't been called back

http://www.alvingreeneforussenator.com/

[rbrnmw]

27. I am very leery of this Greene fellow

I must say I voted for Vic Rawls in the primaries I just dpon't know what to think about that whole incident in fact I don't know anyone who even voted for him Has anyone heard about the whole strange epi

[LWolf]

28. Yes. My discussion is tied to Obama because

I'm appalled at the composition of his administration and the policies his administration is supporting and defending.

I'm not talking about the re-election of my Senator because he's got my vote and I don't think he's at risk.

I'm supporting my Republican Congressman's opponent, but the likelihood of unseating him this time around is not good. I don't really need to convince the handful of DUers in his district to vote for the D.

I'll vote for the D for governor, even though I'm not that happy with him; I don't see anyone better, at this point, on the ballot.

Why would I be talking about those races on DU? There's no real debate.

[butterfly77]

29. Because they listen to...

the media and all the obama haters who want it to be about him instead of all of these so called Dems who showed us who they were during the healthcare debate and who will be showing us who they are on the bush tax cuts..

[TheKentuckian]

30. Obama is not a factor in my voting in this mid-term other than as a sucker of enthusiasm

It isn't 100% relevant as I'll be at the polls as always but my cynicism is sky high and rising. I surely won't sacrifice almost any money and at the moment time and hustle seems somewhat absurd.

I'm even somewhat souring on some of the votes Yarmuth is making but I keep in mind the really good ones and that he is a freshman from Kentucky (though Louisville so my patience isn't infinite) and I feel his stances are genuine and long held from all dealings and knowledge that I have so I'll probably end up putting in some work.

[Greyhound]

31. The mid-terms are very much a judgment on the President's performance.

Obama has, through his obsequious devotion to his corporate masters, denied his party any coattails to hang onto in this cycle. This will likely result in even less good being done this coming year which will make the following cycle even worse.

Didn't you catch this movie when it was playing in the 90's? Personally, I don't think Blue-Ray did a thing to make it better.

[Stinky The Clown]

33. Rucky, nice try ......

.... I understand what you're saying. And you're right. But for some people, EVERYTHING is about Obama. If you were to say you liked cake, they'd be there cussing you out for not liking pie. That kind of person is a problem.

I will be voting straight Democratic this November. And I will be voting FOR every one of the local candidates, not against anyone. On the state and local level, they have earned my vote.