Hillary Clinton may be 'drag' on others
Democratic fret the former first lady may be too polarising for much of the United States.
By Agencies |
WASHINGTON: Looking past the US presidential nomination fight, Democratic leaders quietly fret that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at the top of their 2008 ticket could hurt candidates at the bottom.
They say the former first lady may be too polarising for much of the United States. They worry she could jeopardise the party's standing with independent voters and give Republicans who otherwise might stay home on Election Day a reason to vote.
In more than 40 interviews, Democratic candidates, consultants and party chairs from every region pointed to internal polls that give Clinton strikingly high unfavorable ratings in places with key congressional and state races.
"I'm not sure it would be fatal in Indiana, but she would be a drag" on many candidates, said Democratic state Representative Dave Crooks of Indiana.
Unlike Crooks, most Democratic leaders agreed to talk frankly about Clinton's political coattails only if they remained anonymous, fearing reprisals from Clinton's campaign. They all expressed admiration for Clinton, and some said they would publicly support her fierce fight for the nomination - despite privately held fears.
The chairman of a Midwest state party called Clinton a nightmare for congressional and state legislative candidates.
A Democratic congressman from the West, locked in a close re-election fight, said Clinton is the Democratic candidate most likely to cost him his seat.
A strategist with close ties to leaders in the US Congress said Democratic Senate candidates in competitive races would be strongly urged to distance themselves from Clinton.
They say the former first lady may be too polarising for much of the United States. They worry she could jeopardise the party's standing with independent voters and give Republicans who otherwise might stay home on Election Day a reason to vote.
In more than 40 interviews, Democratic candidates, consultants and party chairs from every region pointed to internal polls that give Clinton strikingly high unfavorable ratings in places with key congressional and state races.
"I'm not sure it would be fatal in Indiana, but she would be a drag" on many candidates, said Democratic state Representative Dave Crooks of Indiana.
Unlike Crooks, most Democratic leaders agreed to talk frankly about Clinton's political coattails only if they remained anonymous, fearing reprisals from Clinton's campaign. They all expressed admiration for Clinton, and some said they would publicly support her fierce fight for the nomination - despite privately held fears.
The chairman of a Midwest state party called Clinton a nightmare for congressional and state legislative candidates.
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A Democratic congressman from the West, locked in a close re-election fight, said Clinton is the Democratic candidate most likely to cost him his seat.
A strategist with close ties to leaders in the US Congress said Democratic Senate candidates in competitive races would be strongly urged to distance themselves from Clinton.
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