Currently, 16 women serve in the Senate, and after November, that number might just increase... to 17! Let's look at the 6 women running for the United States Senate.
In this corner, we have our one sure thing, Senator Susan Collins, the other female Republican Senator from the state of Maine. She first won a seat in 1996, and was re-elected in 2002. This isn't a great year for Republicans, but she's got a 10-point lead as of now. Stay tuned.
In this corner, we have our one sure thing, Senator Susan Collins, the other female Republican Senator from the state of Maine. She first won a seat in 1996, and was re-elected in 2002. This isn't a great year for Republicans, but she's got a 10-point lead as of now. Stay tuned.One state sure to send a woman to the Senate is North Carolina. Current Republican Elizabeth Dole
is running for re-election against Kay Hagan, a state Senator who defeated openly gay Jim Neal in the Democratic primary. The race is a statistical dead heat. Who knows how it will all play out with the presidential election-- bad year for Republicans hurts Dole, popular presidential candidate among Blacks also hurts Dole. The question will be how many inroads Obama can make in the state with white voters. Looks like Kay's just along for the ride of her life, on his coattails.
is running for re-election against Kay Hagan, a state Senator who defeated openly gay Jim Neal in the Democratic primary. The race is a statistical dead heat. Who knows how it will all play out with the presidential election-- bad year for Republicans hurts Dole, popular presidential candidate among Blacks also hurts Dole. The question will be how many inroads Obama can make in the state with white voters. Looks like Kay's just along for the ride of her life, on his coattails.The third female incumbent hoping to hold onto her seat is Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu. Sweet, sweet Mary's
never had it easy. Yes, Daddy was the mayor of New Orleans, and her brother is the Lt. Gov of the state, but because of the strange way Louisiana votes, one has to win a majority (50%+) of the state, and in both of Landrieu's elections, she's not captured enough on the first ballot to secure her seat. In 1996, after coming in 2nd place on the first ballot, she won on the 2nd by fewer than 6,000 votes. As the incumbent in 2002, she didn't have it much better, winning 46% of the vote on ballot 1, and then only holding onto her seat on ballot 2 by 4 percentage points. She barely leads her competitor, state Treasurer John N. Kennedy. With a large segment of the urban New Orleans community scattered throughout the country post-Katrina, Landrieu might have a hard time winning a 3rd election.
A possible Democratic upset might come in one of our nation's most independent states, New Hampshire. Jeanne Shaheen, the former Governor, is contesting Republican incumbent John Sununu, and recent polls put her ahead by as much as 8%. However, McCain is popular in the granite state, which bodes well for Sununu, and he beat Shaheen six years ago. But maybe the New Hampshire folks are ready for change? Paging Barack Obama...And finally, one woman who, sad to say, will never see the light of day in the United States Senate (at least, not as a Senator) is
Ms. Vivian Davis Figures, Democratic state Senator from Alabama. She is challenging incumbent Rep. Jeff Sessions, who was re-elected to a second term in 2002 by nearly 60%. Maybe Obama can win our nation, but forgetting the birds-eye view for a moment, a black female Democrat from Alabama ain't beating the incumbent white Republican guy. Think I'm wrong? Please see Denise Majette, Georgia 2004.Also, her bio on her website is ridiculous.
So in conclusion: 3 female seats up for grabs. NC definitely goes for a woman. ME probably holds onto its honey. If Mary can retain her seat, then we're still good at 16, and if Shaheen rides in on Obama's wave, we're up to 17.
Sorry, Viv. You're still out. And fix your bio.
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