If the GOP had one lick of sense they would rally behind Senator Snowe

[Bandit]

If they were to rally behind Ms. Snowe and put her up front as the leader of the Republican Party they could gain some traction. They are just not that bright though..I believe Senator Snowe would be harder to beat in a Presidential run than anyone else I can even think of at the moment..

[AlinPA]

1. After that vote, the GOP really looks like the party of "No" more than ever . nt

[karynnj]

2. I thought that true in 2008 - but she never would have had even a remote chnace of getting the

nomination. It could have been a very tight race between Obama and Snowe. Fear of Obama winning could have motivated their base to hold their noses and vote for her and she, unlike McCain/Palin, could have pulled a lot of votes from women who had dreamed of electing a woman President.

[customerserviceguy]

3. From my lurking over at Freeperland

she (and Susan Collins) are hated and despised by the GOP base. She's probably going to have to do a Specter and switch parties if she has any hope of keeping her Senate seat.

[eShirl]

5. she'll keep her Senate seat if she runs

even if people have to write her in on the ballot

[customerserviceguy]

7. There were hard right Republicans

who were willing to vote for her to keep the GOP in the majority, back when they had that status, but are angry at her (and Collins) for voting for the stimulus package. Since there's no majority to preserve, they may just withhold their vote from her. That's what happened when I lived in Washington State, the hardliners were pissed at Slade Gorton for not voting for both counts of impeachment against Bill Clinton, and that gave Maria Cantwell a chance to win.

Don't underestimate the ability of either party to shoot themselves in the foot.

[eShirl]

10. Maine is not Washington state.

[customerserviceguy]

12. Being as I've never been to Maine

I cannot refute your contention with actual experiential evidence, but both have large rural areas that are populated by "leave me alone" folks who prefer independence, and I've seen Republicans use that in Washington. I can imagine that Collins and Snowe will face nomination fights in their next elections, and those tend to weaken an incumbent in a general election.

[Bandit]

6. Freepers have an exaggerated sense of importance

I would venture that the very great majority of Republicans are not bat shit crazy like freepers or tea baggers or ditto heads. Most Republicans can't stand watching their Party hoist the insane to the for front as they have been doing.

[customerserviceguy]

9. All you need is for a small part of just about any candidate's base

to decide that they are done voting for that person, and the opposition has a chance at winning. Most winners in elections are somewhere within the 50-60% range (assuming only two strong candidates) and it doesn't take too many people sitting on their hands on Election Day to make a difference.

[DrDan]

4. well when you start with a bad assumption . . . .

[Romulox]

8. Olympia Snowe isn't the leader of anybody. She's a Liebercrat, at best.

:shrug:

[KharmaTrain]

11. They Rally Behind Her & They're Screwn For A Generation

There's a real good reason the rushpublicans want healthcare reform to fail. Besides all the money the insurance lobby greased their pockets with, they know if there's a successful bill, it means a major victory for Democrats that could reverberate at the polls for years just like Roosevelt's New Deal and Kennedy/Johnson's "New Frontier" that kept the GOOP as a minority party for the better part of 60 years. It's hard to run against someone who can claim they helped make your family healthier and fix a major ail in our society.

Snowe wouldn't stand a chance in any GOOP primary...and may soon find herself a party of one. The anger, the denial and the arrogance of the rushpublicans won't permit them to do anything but obstruct and anyone who breaks ranks is considered a traitor.