What Daniel said

Because Daniel is right.

While I am a true conservative with libertarian leanings, and Gordon Smith is pretty far from that, I have been saying for years that it is wrong for conservatives in Oregon to pile on Smith.  Yes, he is much more moderate than we are.  But our state is much more liberal than we are.  Real conservatives don't fare so well here.  We have a choice between "somewhat liberal" and "extremely liberal."  Give me the somewhat over the extreme anyday.

This is not to say we shouldn't continue to elect real conservatives.  On the contrary.  But we need to pick our battles, and build from the ground up.  We need to run good candidates for local elections first, and use their victories to build the farm team for statewide elections down the road.  We can't do better than Gordon Smith because we have no better candidate.  But perhaps Gordon will want to retire from the Senate in six years, or sooner (if we elect a GOP Governor in two years, there is a strong possibility of President McCain tapping Smith for a Cabinet post like Agriculture or the Interior).  That means we need to focus on a few things here:

Re-elect Gordon Smith, so we don't get stuck with Jeff Merkley.

Re-elect Greg Walden, our only GOP Congressman (and an OK guy).

Re-elect Jason Atkinson to the State Senate and groom him for higher office.

Elect Rick Dancer Secretary of State.

Once we do these things, we can focus on 2010 and beyond, and gradually shift our alternative to socialism from "somewhat liberal" to conservative.

In the meantime, SUPPORT GORDON SMITH!

Comments

[OregonGuy]

Aww...'kay. I see the logic of what you say. And I'll think about it, while I cling bitterly to whatever bitter clingers cling.
.

[Betty]

This is ridiculous.

We simply must start standing up for what we believe in or we might as well just register as Demoncrats and get it overwith.

[RinoWatch]

Sorry my friend, I can't go along with you on Smith & Dancer.
Enough is enough....

[RinoWatch]

Sorry my friend, I can't go along with you on Smith & Dancer.
Enough is enough....

[Gullyborg]

so you want to elect Jeff Merkley, who would be the most liberal member of the Senate?

so you want to elect radical bisexual pagan Kate Brown as our next secretary of state?

the blind pursuit of perfection always ends the same way: crashing headfirst into something solid.

get over yourselves and actually do something to make Oregon a better place for a change, instead of just bitching about how sucky all the Republican candidates are.

and remember: the only perfect person in history got nailed to a cross for it.

[Bobkat]

Gully, you better pony up some money for poor Gordon it looks like he has a bulls eye on him from the DNC.
http://heydudewheresmycountry.blogspot.com/

[Yomi Mizuhara]

Gully, here's what I'm thinking:

Gordon Smith's loss in exchange for a win in Mary Landrieu's Louisiana seat and a hold by John Sunanoonanoo (New Hampshire).

Think that'd do?

[Gullyborg]

we need all the seats we can hold to keep the dems from A) holding a caucus majority and B) building a filibuster-proof majority

Gordon Smith may be "too progressive" for many Republicans, but he is far from the worst Republican. He is more likely to back the conservative caucus on things like filibusters than other Senators like Arlen Specter or Olympia Snowe. We can't afford to lose him.

Here is another thought:

Re-elect Smith. Elect Atkinson in two years. Once Atkinson is elected, PRESIDENT MCCAIN can tap Smith for a Cabinet post like Agriculture or the Interior. Atkinson can pick a suitable replacement. In other words, if re-elected, Smith is just a placeholder for somebody better.

But if Smith loses, we are STUCK with Merkley. And in 2014, Merkley would be an incumbent and that much harder to replace.

[Yomi Mizuhara]

That idea will work.

Can we still take Mary Landrieu's seat, though? She's really vulnerable.

[Gullyborg]

God, I wish we could... but I don't see it happening.

We need to focus more on retention that pick ups. And doofuses like RW bailing on "not conservative enough" Smith aren't helping.

speaking of which:

WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR BEEF WITH RICK DANCER? HE IS RUNNING A CLEAN CAMPAIGN AS AN "INDEPENDENT" REPUBLICAN IN A NON-PARTISAN RACE.

The alternative is openly bisexual pagan Kate Brown, the single most partisan left-wing liberal democrat in the history of the Oregon Senate.

You want her instead? Smooooooth.

[Yomi Mizuhara]

I have no problem with Rick Dancer.

Some of the blogger crew, though, seem to have a problem with his position on open primaries and making the office non-partisan.

I will be voting Rick Dancer because, frankly, Kate Brown is nothing but a ho-bag knuckle[censored].

[Gullyborg]

I agree the office should be non-partisan. Funny how the anti-Dancer "conservatives" are the same people who think Bill Bradbury should be run out on a rail for his partisan politics.

You just can't please some people.

[Patrick Joubert Conlon]

Anybody but Merkley. What a weasel. Smith's not perfect - but he's not a crook.

"The perfect is often the enemy of the good."