“With a depleted bench, national Democrats are turning to a bunch of rookies and retreads for 2016,” said NRSC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek. “It’s clear Democrats are relying on a spaghetti strategy – throwing something at the wall to see what sicks.”
BACKGROUND …
Meet Your 2016 Democrat Retreads:
Ted Strickland Is Yesterday’s News. "A fair number of Strickland’s fellow Democrats view the former Ohio governor as yesterday’s news. Beneath the youthful glow and new fashion frames they see an aging and flawed candidate should he run for U.S. Senate." (Can Hillary Clinton and Ted Strickland help Ohio Democrats in Appalachia next year?, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, 01/31/15)
Joe Sestak Hasn’t Improved Since 2010. “Democrats are unhappy with Democrat Joe Sestak. Former Congressman Joe Sestak upset establishment state Democrats just by running for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Mr. Sestak beat their candidate, Republican-turned-Democratic U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, but lost to Republican former congressman Pat Toomey. He is back for a second try — including the part about upsetting establishment Democrats. ‘I don’t hold grudges,’ T.J. Rooney, the former state Democratic Party chairman, said when Mr. Sestak beat Mr. Specter. ‘I do care about winning. I just know that Pat Toomey has gotten a lot better, and he’s gotten a lot stronger and Joe Sestak hasn’t.’” (As Sestak runs for Senate again, Democrats seek alternative, The Times-Tribune, 06/08/15)
Russ Feingold Will Learn The Hard Way That Comebacks Are Rare In Wisconsin. “But a successful second act in Wisconsin political life is rare.Just ask Tommy Thompson, who was beaten soundly in 2012 despite his status as one of the most popular politicians in the state’s history. Former state senators such as Gary Drzewiecki and Alice Clausing attempted comebacks after losing their seats in the Legislature, only to see their candidacies quickly fizzle out.” (Christian Schneider, Will Russ Feingold get a second act?, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 03/28/15)
Meet Your 2016 Democrat Rookies:
Jason Kander Has Little Support From His Democrat Colleagues In Missouri. “Democrats said Kander remains extraordinarily ambitious.” (Dave Helling, Jason Kander Faces Interesting, Difficult Decision On Running For U.S. Senate, The Kansas City Star, 02/02/15)
Alexander Paul George “P.G.” Sittenfeld Is An Ambitious Young Democrat. “[P.G. Sittenfeld] is a young, ambitious and well-spoken Cincinnati Councilman who was the first Democrat to launch a campaign to unseat Republican Senator Rob Portman. And he is traveling more around the state to get his name, face and ideas known to Democrats. That despite the fact that Democrats have given former Governor Ted Strickland an early-bird endorsement to pressure Sittenfeld to bow out of the race.” (P.G. Sittenfeld: Ambitious young Democrat for Senate, WKYC-TV, 05/15/15)
Democrat Patrick Murphy Is The Youngest Member Of Congress And Is Running For Senate. “Democrat Patrick Murphy of Jupiter, the youngest member of Congress, launched a campaign on Monday to win the U.S. Senate seat now held by conservative Republican Marco Rubio.”(William Gibson, Rep. Patrick Murphy Seeks Rubio’s Senate Seat, The Sun-Sentinel, 03/23/15)
Catherine Cortez Masto Has Never Been Tested. “Masto is not a dynamic campaigner. She is a careful, close-to-the-vest person who has never been tested in a white-hot crucible like a nationally watched U.S. Senate race.” (Jon Ralston, Ralston Reports: Who’s waiting in wings to replace Reid, The Reno Gazette-Journal, 03/29/15)