For those of you beyond the borders of the mountain state and think there is no chance in hell that Byrd could
ever lose, I ask you his: How sure are you?
Though there is no "announced" candidate running against him as of yet, the GOP is throwing the fat in the fire, Bubba. It's on. More below.
[UPDATE: granted 30 is not a lot of opinions, but still confirms my fears - only 10 out of 30 think Byrd is a guaranteed winner in WV (yeah, I know - it's called 30%).]
I checked the diaries and didn't see much on this, if it is duplicative of someone else's please let me know and I will remove.
I'm not sure how many beyond the state have seen the ads the GOP is airing here in WV (hell, I've only seen them on TV a couple times myself), but it's still very early IMHO for the wingers to be blowing dough on a race a little more than a year down the road.
Then I was sent a link to "MoveOnByrd.org," which is run by the NSRC. Here I now learn Byrd is "hugely popular with the radical left wing groups" and that he is a "liberal lightning rod," and basically just hurting America.
In addition to leaning much fom the cute, alliteration-friendly little slogans, I realize the part that causes me most worry, they actually quote sources beyond Rove's mind contral, our local "left" (though shifting ever further right) newspaper, the CHarleston Gazette:
"Few could have predicted three years ago that ... the "V" word - vulnerability - would be whispered about the senior senator from West Virginia."
-- Robert Rupp in the Charleston Gazette; April 8, 2005.
Now, I have no idea who this Rupp guy is, but that is beside the point, it is getting the attention of the AP, who has no problem echoing the echo chamber:
"Nationally, Robert C. Byrd may wear a Republican bulls-eye, [as] the senator atop the GOP's electoral hit list for 2006."
- 22 May 05
"But as he considers running for a record ninth term, [Byrd] faces what might be the toughest battle of his political career." 22 May 05
"But there's no question that this [next election]will be the fight of his life." 03 April 05
.
etc., etc., etc.
This is a lot of noise to be making this far out ahead of the election, but I fear that the Byrd attack will be a deafeining roar before I have time to notice that loud, irritating noise coming from somewhere.
Now, as to all who of you beyond the borders of WV who are certain - certain - that there is no way Byrd could ever lose this state, I leave you with this - I bet that's what Gore and Kerry thought about themselves winning WV, too.