Harry Reid to Endorse Jim Webb

Developing....

Comments

Wow!

[Liberal_Pi]

Nice... but Harris Miller just won't drop out.

[JOTB]

nope he won't drop out

I just got my second automated miller phone call

[Charles - conservative one]

That should be the kiss of death.

Of course, Frist will probably endorse Allen, so it will be a wash....

[neo]

Is this the endorsement that Josh from RaisingKaine was howling about yesterday? I hope to goodness its not, because I'd be disappointed.

Anyone have any more info on Josh's claim?

[Harris Miller Sux]

This primary is over.

[James Young]

Dismal Harry will endorse anyone whom he believes to be a vote for him to be Majority Leader.

[The Ghost of Tom Joad]

"Dismal Harry will endorse anyone whom he believes to be a vote for him to be Majority Leader."

Welcome to another addition to "Jim Young States the Obvious!"

[neo]

What a letdown.

[Longtime Dem]

Why are you disappointed??
Harry Reid is the highest ranking Democrat in the country!!! He replaced Tom Daschle as Senate Minority Leader..this means that the head of the Senate and the highest ranking Dem wants Jim Webb in the Senate with him...and do we need a reminder that as Minority Leader Reid has ties to the money?? If this is true, I think it is great for Jim Webb and "All she wrote" for his opponent.

[J.C. Wilmore]

I tend to agree with "longtime," with the caveat that Miller won't be driven out of this race by an out-of-state endorsement. Miller is hoping for some kind of GOTV miracle driven by the African American vote, and who knows? Harris Miller is a cunning fellow.

Now if Webb were to draw a really big in-state endorsement: Warner, Kaine, Wilder, Bobby Scott . . . really any one of these guys would end it.

But if Harry Reid endorses Webb, it could be the final straw that draws out one of those big in-state endorsements.

All too hypothetical--don't bet on Miller dropping out just yet.

[Webb Defeats Allen]

Miller won't drop out. I hope he doesn't. The primary numbers will say a lot about the general.

neo was apparently hoping that Jesus was going to endorse James Webb from the throne of heaven. Longtime Dem your analysis is right on. We'll see if Ben is right on this one. I'm still not sayin'.

[Dannyboy]

I don't really think this will effect the General Election, but it could have a pretty big effect on the primary. Imagine this on a list of Webb endorsements. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Sounds pretty good. Reed is the highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, and he's saying that he wants Jim Webb to serve with him, not Harris Miller (actually, I'm pretty sure that Reid believes Miller doesn't have a chance at serving with him in the Senate).

Will this end the primary? No. Miller wouldn't drop out at this point. He's invested too much in this to just "give up." Like JC said, he'll hope that he can afford enough staffers to pretend to be volunteers, and get as many people out to vote as possible, while praying all us Webb heads are too tired or lazy to vote. Nah, we're the motivated one. Remember Arlington?

This is a big endorsement. The only people that could dwarf this one would be Warner, Kaine, or Wilder. I can't see those going to anybody in this primary.

[neo]

I'm not disappointed in a bad sense, more like letdown. Harry Reid is ok, not a major earth shaker like Warner, Kaine or Wilder. And how is this supposed to drive Miller from the primary? The guy is already running telephone ads. He can easily afford to run a major ad campaign this month, unlike Webb.

I guess Josh really overhyped this too much unless he knows another major endorsement in the pipe next week?

[J.C. Wilmore]

I wonder if Harry Reid will swing by the Mark Warner fundraiser. That sounds like a really fun event.

Anyone planning on going?

[Webb Defeats Allen]

I'll be there.

[Nichole]

I am probably going to the fundraiser!

[Longtime Dem]

OK..here's how this works. Harry Reid wouldn't get into this primary unless he really believes that Webb can beat George Allen. He has most likely seen some internals that look really good for an upset. Reid's support means that he will make sure that funds come Webb's way in the general election.

There are 34 seats up in the Senate but all of the Dem candidates will not get equal amounts of money from the DSCC and other donor sources. Kerry/Edwards would have done far better in VA if they had had even half of the money and support this will bring for Jim Webb. It's not just about endorsements that encourage others to vote for you but having the money to get your message out. Lest we forget, Allen has alot of money and his opponent will need alot to be successful.

Harry Reid may look like nobody to some but his support is HUGE. It brings far, far more than what a Mark Warner endorsement would..And, don't we think that Mark Warner has been talking to the party elders? Why do we think he has agreed to do a fundraiser for Webb? Answer:He wants to be able to say he helped get Jim Webb elected!

[Fan of Integrity]

This is AWESOME!!! For those that don't think it's a big deal for Webb, in addition to what Longtime Dem said, Just Imagine if Harris Miller were getting endorsed by the highest ranking Dem in the Senate. This is big, and signals significant insider support.
WOOO HOOO and Oorah and all that!

[Thegools]

THis means Reid puts his money on Webb as the candidate that can beat Allen. If Miller doesn't drop out soon I will begin to think he is a GOP man.

[DemTilDeath]

The DSCC knows they need to pick up seven seats to take back the Senate. They're looking to make this one of them, and they know the only candidate who can beat Allen is Webb. They're ready to throw money at Webb when he takes the primary. Miller would have to spend his own, and then he'd still lose.

[Thegools]

Shall we make bets as to when Miller will back out?

I bet on 4 days.

Poor Miller. I have to give it to him for effort. He really seemed to want it...it's just that not many others did. Three cheers for Miller anyway.

It's gotta be tough for him now. I am never one to gloat at the downfall of a candidate. Hell, I felt sympathy for Kilgore when he lost. I was not happy he lost, but I was thrilled that Kaine won.

Mr. Miller I hope you will accept you fate and now please help Webb.

[DemTilDeath]

My bet...Miller won't drop out. He should, but he won't. He's a scrappy fighter. Dropping out would be too classy for him.

[Dannyboy]

Miller has spent too much of his time and money on this. I think he really believed early in this campaign that he could not only beat Jim Webb, but that he could beat George Allen as well. Now, there are an awful lot of people telling him he can't, including the guy he wants to work with. No, he won't drop out. I personally think Harris has convinced himself that he will win this thing. He won't drop out until June 13th, when we force him to.

[notnotnotnotnot Ken Cuccinelli]

I love how you Dems talk about the issues you care about...and then someone who looks better on paper decides to become a dem in order to run for senate and what happens? Everyone flocks to him? I love it...drop/badmouth the guy who has been working for the party and jump on the jonny come lately wagon. Wow! You guys are worse than the Republicans in this state!