Right Wing Meme Of The Day That Dems Are “Dropping Like Flies” Ignores More GOP Losses

Posted by | January 6, 2010 11:13 | Filed under: Top Stories


Today’s right-wing talkapalooza is that Democrats are in big trouble because of the retirements of North Dakota’s Byron Dorgan And Connecticut’s Chris Dodd.  And the msm seems to be embracing this meme.  But don’t get excited so fast.  Steve Benen lays some facts on the table.


But let’s add a little perspective here. Quick quiz: which party has more Senate retirements so far this campaign cycle, Democrats or Republicans? Follow-up question: which party has more House retirements so far this campaign cycle, Democrats or Republicans?

 

If Dems are “dropping like flies,” the answer should be obvious. But it’s not — in both chambers, Republican retirements, at least for now, outnumber Democratic retirements.

 

In the House, 14 GOP incumbents have decided not to seek re-election, while 10 Democratic incumbents have made the same announcement. Does this mean Republicans are “dropping like flies”?

 

In the Senate, six Republican incumbents have decided not to seek re-election, while two Democratic incumbents have made the same announcement. Is this evidence of a mass Democratic exodus?

 

Among governors, several incumbents in both parties are term-limited and prevented from running again, but only three Democrats who can seek re-election — Parkinson in Kansas, Doyle in Wisconsin, and Ritter in Colorado — have chosen not to. For Republicans, the number is four — Douglas in Vermont, Rell in Connecticut, Crist in Florida, and Pawlenty in Minnesota. (Update: the GOP number is five if we include Palin in Alaska.)

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Copyright 2010 Liberaland
By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

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