GOP Recruits make Dems Chortle

By JOSH KRAUSHAAR | 6/11/08 6:56 PM EST

Meet Bob Kelleher, the Republican nominee against Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) this year.

He is an 85-year-old attorney with some downright unconventional views. He believes the American system of representative government should be replaced by a parliamentary system. He calls for socialized medicine, advocates nationalizing the country’s oil and gas industries and believes taxes should be raised significantly to eradicate poverty.

It’s not the standard GOP platform, but nevertheless Kelleher defeated four other candidates in the primary to claim the Republican nomination.

Among those he bested were former state House Majority Leader Mike Lange and businessman Kirk Bushman, who had courted statewide donors and visited Washington to meet with national party representatives. It was Kelleher’s first victory after 15 losses as a Democratic Party and Green Party candidate.

Needless to say, the Republican Party wants nothing to do with him.

If Kelleher were an aberration, his candidacy might be easier for Republicans to swallow. But he’s not.

He’s one of a handful of GOP Senate nominees who are, well, not exactly who the party had in mind. (read more...)

MASSACHUSETTS

The Senate:...
Democratic Incumbent: John Kerry
Republican Challenger: TBA

The House:...
Massachusetts's 5th congressional district: Martin T. Meehan (D) resigned on July 1, 2007, leaving vacant the seat that he had held since January 1993. A special election was held on October 16, 2007. Niki Tsongas (D), widow of former Congressman and Senator Paul Tsongas, faced Republican Jim Ogonowski, brother of 9/11 Pilot John Ogonowski, Kurt Hayes (U, Independent), Patrick Murphy (U, Independent), and Kevin Thompson (Constitution Party). Tsongas won by 51% to Ogonowski with 45%.^[91] Kurt Hayes is running for the Republican nomination and Eileen Donoghue (D) who has been mentioned as running an independent campaign.