(Almost nothing in the Democrat Advertiser or Democrat Star-Bulletin today about the political revolution in Massachusetts. That’s a sign of fear.)
The next Scott Brown? Charles Mahtesian -- Politico
Here’s the next potential Scott Brown, or at least a candidate who will spark a debate over whether the national GOP should look at him that way—Charles Djou in Hawaii.
Djou, a Honolulu Republican city council member running in a May special House election, was quick to recognize the Massachusetts-on-the-Pacific scenario and shot out a statement congratulating Brown while at the same time outlining the parallels to his own long shot race.
He's a longshot in heavily Democratic Hawaii but the national party is nevertheless going to feel pressure to weigh in on his behalf. The similarities to the Brown race are striking.
---30---
“Constituents in Hawaii have been misrepresented by Democrats for too long. There is no doubt that Colleen Hanabusa and Ed Case woke up in fear today as they realize that, on election day, they will pay the price for supporting the Obama-Pelosi big-government, tax-and-spend agenda. Luckily for Hawaii, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, as voters will have the opportunity to help fiscally-responsible Charles Djou be victorious.” – Joanna Burgos, NRCC Spokeswoman
To view the statement from NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions on Scott Brown’s Victory in Massachusetts and the “serious ramifications that will haunt Democrats all the way to the November elections,” please click here: http://nrcc.org/news/Read.aspx?ID=1317
FIRST NEW JERSEY AND VIRGINIA, THEN MASSACHUSETTS, NEXT HAWAII:
THERE’S A WAVE: Democratic Pollster Celinda Lake says: "[T]here's A Wave. And That Wave, It Hit Virginia; It Hit New Jersey; It Hit Massachusetts." (Ben Smith, "Lake Defends Coakley: No Money For Tracking, And 'A Wave,'" Politico, 1/19/10)
THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IS TOXIC FOR DEMOCRATS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY: “The narrative of the past few months has been a difficult one for Democrats with five House Members in swing seats announcing their retirements, another conservative Democrat switching parties, Republican recruitment surging and now the potential loss of a Senate seat in the bluest state in the country. Democrats have successfully beat back (most) of the stories that suggest a wave is building but will be helpless to withstand the flood if Coakley comes up short today.” (Chris Cillizza, “Special election day in Massachusetts, The Washington Post, 01/19/10)
NO DEMOCRAT IS SAFE: National Journal's Hotline On Call: "A Brown Victory Will Be Seen As A Huge Blow To The WH. It would also signal to Dems in Congress that the party is not safe, even in a state that hasn't sent a GOPer to the House since '94 and hasn't sent a GOPer to the Senate since '72." (Reid Wilson, "Why Obama Must, And Shouldn't, Go To MA," Hotline's On Call, 1/15/10)
INDEPENDENTS ARE TRENDING TOWARDS REPUBLICANS: "[I]f Coakley loses, this would be the third major election in a row (New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts) where the Democratic candidate has lost the very independent voters who put Democrats and Obama in victory lane in both 2006 and 2008." (Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg, MSNBC's First Read: First Thoughts, 1/19/10)
THE DEMOCRAT MAJORITY IS ON THE LINE: Paul Begala: "If it's the end of health care, it's the end of the Democratic majority." (CNN, 1/19/10)