Southern Political Report: Is Lincoln Vulnerable?
I’m not even sure why I’m linking to this, because it’s pretty much a rehash of all the same stuff we’ve been seeing for weeks. But now it’s Southern Political Report’s turn to look at Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s weak numbers from Public Policy Polling a couple of weeks back to ponder the question, talking to observers on both sides of the aisle:
Her polling numbers, if not weak, are not strong either. Her state’s voters fell strongly in the GOP column in the 2008 presidential election. Moreover, “She hasn’t concentrated on being back in the state during her Senate tenure,” says a longtime political insider (R); “she’s known, but she doesn’t have the depth of support.” And finally, a number of Republicans are giving serious consideration to challenging her next year….
….Democrats, however, aren’t shaking in their boots about Lincoln’s prospects. “They’ve got to have a candidate,” says an Arkansas Democratic insider. “They don’t have a bench now… You stack her up against nobody, maybe she doesn’t blow the roof off. But you put her up against anybody they’ve got and watch the numbers grow.”
It includes the same names that you keep hearing as potential GOP challengers—Gilbert Baker, Tim Griffin, Kim Hendren and French Hill—and some thoughts from Arkansas GOP chair Doyle Webb, along with some unnamed insiders from both the Republican and Democratic sides. Not much new here, but “Is Lincoln In Trouble?” does seem to be the hot new meme. (For example, here, here and here).
