Democrats are rising in the rural Midwest and West as rural populists.
In the Montana Senate race Democrat and farmer Jon Tester is battling hard against an incumbent Republican. Read Tester’s recently released ag policy paper. The race was recently profiled by the Weekly Standard.
In Nebraska, Scott Kleeb continues to rise in polls for an open congressional seat in a district that hasn’t had Democratic representation in a very long time. Dubbed the Cowboy Candidate, Kleeb is a forth generation rancher with a PhD from Yale. He recently landed a surprise endorsment from the Omaha World Herald. Kleeb’s internal numbers show him up in this supposed-to-be-safe-Republican district. And the GOP is freaking out over it.
Elsewhere, the Democrat holds a narrow lead in Idaho’s Gubernatorial race. There is also a chance for a congressional pickup by Democrats in Idaho. Vice President Cheney has been dispatched to the state to campaign for Republicans. The lone congressional seat in Wyoming is also in play.
And these aren’t the only races where populist democrats are making strong showings in traditionally Republican, often rural territory. What’s going on? I have plenty of my own thoughts, but precious little time to write these days. Here is some analysis from others:
A Rural Revolt in the West?
GOP Losing Their Rural Base
Poll Shows Rural Voters Shifting to Democrats.
Win or lose on election night, the political landscape in the rural U.S. is changing.
President Sonny Perdue?
Clinton, Romney, McCain, Giuliani, Obama, Frist, Gingrich, Gore, Kerry, Rice, Edwards, Pataki, Biden… Like it or not, the 2008 presidential race is officially underway. What’s missing is a clear front-runner for the Republican nomination.
Georgia governor Sonny Perdue is, perhaps, the GOP’s best hope of maintaining control of the White House.
Republicans are Mad about Spending and Immigration
Perdue balanced the budget in Georgia, which insulates him from the criticisms that face any candidate that comes from our irresponsible, deficit-swelling congress.
Perdue passed the toughest immigration legislation in the country, while Washington did nothing.
Independents are Mad about the Iraq and Trade
Since Perdue wasn’t in Washington during the vote to authorize the Iraq war, he can approach it with an open mind and no political baggage.
Regarding trade reform, Perdue can reach out to natural allies like Gingrey, Norwood, Deal, and Westmorland, all of whom have been outspoken about cracking down on Chinese trade abuses (especially regarding child and slave labor).
Perdue was the GOP’s Only Bright Light in the Mid-Term Election
With Perdue at the top of the ticket, Georgia Republicans picked up both the Lt. Governor and Sectary of State offices and expanded the Republican majority in the statehouse. Republicans in the rest of the country took a “thumpin.â€
And there’s plenty for the media to like too. Perdue is a veteran, a veterinarian, father of four, foster parent of eight, and was a walk-on quarterback at the University of Georgia. He also has a small role in the upcoming Matthew McConaughey football movie “We Are Marshallâ€.
I challenge anyone looking at the current list of GOP hopefuls to name a stronger candidate than Governor Sonny Perdue.