Last week’s General Election decimated the ranks of the Blue Dogs – fiscally conservative Democrats in the House, who include Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez in their number. Voters booted half of the Blue Dogs. “Only 23 of its 54 members were re-elected, and it lost two of its leaders, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota and Baron Hill of Indiana,” according to NPR.
The news is even worse for the Democrats in the South. “Republicans now hold at least 93 of the 131 House seats from the states of the old Confederacy. Less than 20 years ago they did not even hold half,” according to the New York Times.
Does this mean that Sanchez will now be free to be more liberal? Voters in the 47th Congressional District have long complained that she is too conservative. Many voters remember that she was a Republican her entire life, before she suddenly became a Democrat and ran against former Congressman Bob Dornan, back in 1996.
Will Sanchez dare to join the Democrats’ Progressive Caucus? I think her base would like to see that.
In two years she will be in a tough electoral battle again. Termed out Assemblyman Van Tran is likely to run again in 2012, for her seat. And today, moderate Republican Quang Pham announced in an email that he is “officially running.” Pham ran this year, but he pulled out before the Primary, allowing Tran to win.
One issue Sanchez likely won’t have to contend with anymore is immigration. With the House of Representatives now firmly in control of the GOP, there will be no immigration reform. President Obama has also stepped up deportations, to record levels. Sanchez has not said a word about this, and now she will continue to ignore the issue.
Sanchez must keep campaigning through 2012, as I expect the nation’s economy to be even worse then than it is now. Obama will almost certainly be toast. He sank his fellow Democrats in this year’s General Election. He will surely torpedo them again in 2012.
If the congress woman retains her office after the count and recount.
I would expect her to change parties by the next election.
One thing you can count on for sure is–she will become heavier (fat) !!
Actually, Art,Sanchez was a Democrat when she ran for Anaheim City Council in 1994. I know-I still have a mailer the Lincoln Club sent out where they morf her into Clinton.
Secondly, Sanchez proved that even when they move in almost a million dollars of independent expenditures against her, she still beats the Republicans, the Lincoln Club, the US Chamber, etc. She just needs to continue her work for the people, and they’ll keep returning her. Next time will be a presidential election, which means any republican will have atough time against her.
47 and mad,
Interesting. I have never heard that before.
Don’t be so sure about the next election. Unless Obama can turn things around he is toast, and he will drag is party down with him. They may have to jettison him and go with Hillary instead.
The Republicans will have to share a good part of that blame since they are now in control of the house. If things are not turned around I expect a tea party Republican and a independant both running strong efforts. Obama is likley to prevail, if that happens. But my crystal ball does not always work well so time will tell