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Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2006
Posted on Mon Feb 13, 2006 at 11:22:54 PM EST
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Paul Hackett has dropped out of the Ohio U.S. Senate Race.

Mr. Hackett said Senators Charles E. Schumer of New York and Harry Reid of Nevada, the same party leaders who he said persuaded him last August to enter the Senate race, had pushed him to step aside so that Representative Sherrod Brown, a longtime member of Congress, could take on Senator Mike DeWine, the Republican incumbent.

Markos at Daily Kos explains what happened, and disputes it was a "betrayal."

Yes, Reid and Schumer were urging Hackett to run, but he wouldn't commit to running. Labor Day, the traditional announcement day for most candidates, came and went with Hackett refusing to say what his plans were. So after waiting and waiting and waiting, Brown essentially said "f*ck it" and got in. It was only after news of Brown's impending announcement were leaked that Hackett decided to commit to the race.

Bottom line? Hackett didn't stand a chance, he wasn't backstabbed by his party since Brown's candidacy was announced before his was (if he'd only committed sooner, Brown might've stayed out), and the party wasn't out to screw him, they were out to get him to run in the House.

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    Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race | 29 comments (29 topical)
    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#1)
    by Lis Riba on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 04:21:43 AM EST
    Of course, Kos is also supporting DINO Casey for Pennsylvania as the most electable, even though at least one poll shows he's has the worst chance against Santorum compared to his more liberal primary challengers...

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 05:38:14 AM EST
    I supported ($$) Hackett against that nasty piece of work Jean Schmidt in the OH-2 race. It is sad to see Hackett getting bent out of shape over this. It would be nice to see him work up the ladder or to have committed to the Senate race earlier as is common practice. Hope he changes his mind about dropping out of politics as he has some admirable leadership qualities. (His anti immigrant stance was a bit alarming) I would love to see him run for OH-2 again. Lisa Riba-
    General election matchups Santorum (R) 36 (38) Casey (D) 51 (50) Democratic primary matchup Casey (D) 70 Pennachio (D) 5
    Which "more liberal primary challengers..." would those be? linked text">dkos

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#3)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 05:41:19 AM EST
    oops -here is the fixed link for above comment dkos

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#4)
    by ltgesq on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 07:02:56 AM EST
    He certainly doesn't sound like he is all that reliable as a democrat. He has never won a single elected office, and he expects that the party should just stand aside for him in a possible senate seat? Childish. What does anyone owe him? Did they promise to let him have a clear shot at a winnable senate seat? I sincerely doubt it. Just because you are a vet that has been manipulated doesn't mean that the rest of us should step aside.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#5)
    by Lora on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 07:10:25 AM EST
    As long as Blackwell is Ohio's Secretary of State, the Dems don't stand a chance. And before you say, "get over it" there is a TON of documentation to support the charge of a stolen election. Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman have compiled a great deal of it. So unless you can specifically refute the evidence they present, don't waste time and energy on the race itself before you can verify that those eligible to vote can actually vote, and that their votes will actually be counted, and then counted as they intended.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#6)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 07:18:07 AM EST
    Lora- Kos seems to think that DeWine doesn't stand a chance against either Brown or Hackett
    I don't think Hackett stood a chance in the primary. I think either candidate would be able to take DeWine.
    kos

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#7)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 07:53:06 AM EST
    Digby chimes in, as usual s/he says it best:
    That man has the shinin' and we have precious little of that in Democratic circles. I have to think that the powers that be may have failed to comprehend that some people have to be dealt with differently than your average pol. That's why they call them "authentic" and it's important to handle them like the thoroughbreds they are. They are always high maintenance, like most stars, but they are very, very useful in projecting an appealing national image for the party. Ask the best bet to be the Republican nominee in 2008: John McCain.
    Hope we can get him back. Talent is rare and does need to be coddled. digby

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 08:10:43 AM EST
    Hopefully he will get back into the same congressional race. He'd tear Schmidt up!

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 08:44:41 AM EST
    the guy's a marine, and has the stomach to fight his way up a hill, if he wants to. He's certainly no quitter, and if he has been serious about getting into office as a Democrat, he will be back with a vengeance.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#10)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 09:57:59 AM EST
    This is an echo of what happened in the Colorado race for Senate in 2004. The party regulars made their pick and tried to shove everyone else out of the race. Several good progressive candidates folded, as ordered. Only one, Mike Miles, stayed in the race. The party regulars did everything they could to marginalize Miles and make the race seem like a done deal from the start. The Democratic Party seems to be petrified to let its members debate ideas and choose candidates. (Yeah, I know, the Republicans do the same thing--I'm talking Dems right now.) How on earth can a party energize voters if the party leaders won't trust us to choose canidates who can win?

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#11)
    by rdandrea on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 10:07:52 AM EST
    This is an echo of what happened in the Colorado race for Senate in 2004. ...snip... The party regulars did everything they could to marginalize Miles and make the race seem like a done deal from the start.
    What actually happened in the Colorado Senate race was that Mike Miles got his ass handed to him in the primary. The party regulars didn't decide who should run as the Democrat, the people did. And then the people decided that Salazar should be Senator. Get over it.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#12)
    by rMatey on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 10:43:50 AM EST
    Hackett for Govenator.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#13)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 12:10:45 PM EST
    Hackett has a statement over at TPM coffeehouse. Too bad we lost him. He does say this which suggests that he is not going to disappear:
    To my friends and supporters, I pledge that I will continue to fight and to speak out on the issues I believe in. As long as I have the microphone, I will serve as your voice.
    TPM

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#14)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 01:28:04 PM EST
    The party regulars didn't decide who should run as the Democrat, the people did. And then the people decided that Salazar should be Senator. Get over it.
    Really? Why did Mark Udall announce he was running and promptly un-announce when the state party leadership crowned Salazar as the candidate? Yeah, I know. "The people decided."

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#16)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 04:10:26 PM EST
    Mike- I checked out your link which claimed to have Hackett's own words but could not find them. Why did Hackett delay announcing his entry into the race which is traditionally right after labor day. Kos said that he may have supported him then but by now there was no way he could beat Brown in the Dem primary. Kos and the netroots raised tons of $$ for Hackett in his first run. I do not quite get your argument. Hackett is not a wimp, he could have announced early and run against all odds. He chose not to and seems happier for it. If you think kos has somehow gone corrupt or mainstream I would ask you to provide a better argument with better links. I am open, but your argument is weak at so far.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 04:46:53 PM EST
    Hey, all things considered, Hackett's probably better off going for a rematch with Schmidt and leaving the Senate campaign to a more experienced candidate like Brown. Brown's paid his dues, knows the issues and has a better shot at Dewine. Hackett's got a good shot as Schmidt. She's an airhead who totally embarrassed herself in the Murtha affair.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#18)
    by jimcee on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 06:15:45 PM EST
    The Wizard of Kos is impressive as long as you don't look behind the funding curtain. When his financiers tell him what to say he does even if it makes him look like an ass. So after giving Hackett the heart to run for the Senate The Wizard beats him down on orders from above. I'd have to guess that there are some internal polls that are saying an ex-marine, anti-war or not, won't sell with the Dem primary voters, but of course they support the troops. Overall it does speak volumes about the loyalty of the hierarchy to its junior members. One day a hero almost ran, the next day kicked out to the curb. What the party really needs right now is a Toto to pull the curtain of artifice away from the Wizard of Kos and his puppeteers, the untrustworthy hypocrites that they appear to be.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#19)
    by Mike on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 06:30:25 PM EST
    Squeaky, I was writing quickly and assuming you'd click through the numerous links in the reference posts. Let me be clearer: Cleveland Plain Dealer:
    When Brown, a seven-term congressman and former Ohio secretary of state, entered the race last week, his timing was a mess. It came three days after the entry of another Democrat, Paul Hackett, a Cincinnati attorney who had been courted for weeks by party leaders in Washington after Brown and other big-name Democrats announced that they wouldn't challenge DeWine.
    As far as Kos, I'm not going to hunt down his posts. He strongly supported Hackett in the special election and continued to do so right up until Brown announced:
    Hackett's surprising performance gave hope to Democrats nationwide that 2006 might be a much worse year for Republicans than anyone had imagined. And when summer ended with no top Ohio Democrats willing to challenge DeWine, party leaders in Washington were happy to have Hackett jump into the void.
    Including Kos. I don't think Kos would deny that. But then, the Republican scandal dejour occurred, DeWine looked more vulnerable, and Brown decided that he'd get in. David Sirota opened the firing with this article which Kos backed heartily. Here is my blog takedown of Sirota's nonsense at the time. And finally, from the Plain Dealer 10/9/05:
    Brautigam said Hackett is considering his options this weekend while on drill duty with the Marine Reserves. He said Hackett was dismayed by a phone call Thursday from New York Sen. Charles Schumer, head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, hinting "that Paul should get out of the race." Hackett is "not interested in getting in a bloody internecine fight in a primary when the real target should be Mike DeWine," Brautigam said. But if Hackett doesn't run for the Senate, he said, he's likely to bow out of politics. "Paul is truly not a professional politician. Being stabbed in the back by the Democratic Party will likely cause Paul to go back to his family and his small business, and the Democrats will continue their addiction to losing," said Brautigam.
    Paul came back from training and announced he'd run against Brown in the primary. Since then, there has, indeed, been a concentrated effort by the Dem Party to get Hackett out of the Senate race and back to the House race against Schmidt. A twofer. Except Hackett's not going to do a "Brown" to Dem. candidates running against Schmidt. And he is keeping his word from 10/05 that he would retire if he didn't run for the Senate. I don't care what Kos says or anyone else says, this is the history of what happened. Hackett was propped up, then knocked down when he became inconvenient. Those of us watching are being told that this is politics. Sure, and it's exactly why Democrats are seen as hacks.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#20)
    by Mike on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 06:37:14 PM EST
    Oh, and Squeaky. Kos himself says he thinks Hackett can beat DeWine:
    It looks like people misunderstood at least part of my first update. I don't think Hackett stood a chance in the primary. I think either candidate would be able to take DeWine. But Hackett had fallen woefully behind on the money and organizational races, and lacked Brown in name ID. It would've been a tough slog.
    Well, duh! With the Republicans shooting at you from the front and Democrats stabbing you in the back, I think pretty much anyone would be "falling behind"! It's a ridiculous argument. If kos used that logic anytime he choose a candidate, I could have saved a lot of donation money during 2004.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#21)
    by jimcee on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 06:41:00 PM EST
    Mike, Nicely put, thank you.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#22)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 07:07:16 PM EST
    Mike-Yes I follow kos and linked to the post you mention and same quote earlier in this thread. He said that both can beat DeWine but Hackett does not have a chance in the dem primary against Brown. Still you have not answered as to why Hackett never announced that he was running, not after labor day and not to this date. He was asked to back down but never announced. Why is that?

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 07:23:12 PM EST
    They always leave out the parts they don't like. Otherwise they'd have nothing to say.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#24)
    by jimcee on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 08:41:15 PM EST
    Squeaky, Perhaps Hackett thought that he could take the Democratic leadership at its word but obviously he couldn't. Go figure, politicians say 'trust me' and others take them at thier word. I guess in certain party circles that trusting person would be called a sucker. If Democrats are knifing each other in the back so readily how can they build a true coalition to beat back the Repubs? And before you make silly comments about not taking advice from a Rethug please note that I'm an independent, libratarian and honestly I don't frequent rightwing sites that would be the mirror image of this one. I just think that this speaks volumes about the funding streams of the Democrat Party's major blog vox, The Daily KOS. If you believe that this is the Democractic vox populi then I have some substanial landmarks to sell you really, really cheap. Hackett has been sold down the road by the rainmakers from NY and NV.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#25)
    by Mike on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 08:43:22 PM EST
    Squeaky, I can only point you to the plain dealer article. Perhaps you missed it:
    When Brown, a seven-term congressman and former Ohio secretary of state, entered the race last week, his timing was a mess. It came three days after the entry of another Democrat, Paul Hackett, a Cincinnati attorney who had been courted for weeks by party leaders in Washington after Brown and other big-name Democrats announced that they wouldn't challenge DeWine.
    Not sure it gets any clearer. Besides, you and I both know that official announcements are not the same as telling the party what you're doing. Hackett ran when no one wanted to touch it. To deny that is to try and recreate reality. As far as losing to Brown. Maybe. Maybe not. I'm sure the slide rule gang has figured it out to the point that no one needs to vote. But, just in case, we have the election anyway. Who knows how Hackett would do if he had the same backing as Brown. You can't, nor can I. So that argument is a fools game. Bottom line, Hackett was screwed. Period. And finally, I did address the "announcement" issue. Hackett delayed his "announcement" because the knife was being put in by Brown. Hackett went off for training to think it over, then came back with a decision. This feels like debating the Republicans where they try and recreate the reality. Read the article. It's quite clear what happened. This is pathetic when Democrats are as bad as Rove.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#26)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 08:49:02 PM EST
    jc-
    Perhaps Hackett thought that he could take the Democratic leadership at its word but obviously he couldn't.
    This RNC talking point comes up fairly regularly. Democrats can't be trusted they are not loyal. Repeat, repeat and repeat. Good little worker bee jimdee.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#27)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 09:42:07 PM EST
    One of the reasons Brown did not enter the race earlier was because he had been waiting for Hackett to enter the race since Labor Day. Hackett never declared his candidacy. Who knows what would have happened if he went against Brown who is more liberal, very well funded politician who has been around for a while. Hackett may well have defeated Brown and become Senator defeating DeWine. We will never know because Hackett withdrew from the race.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#28)
    by jimcee on Tue Feb 14, 2006 at 11:53:14 PM EST
    Squeaky, I do not do Republican talking points but if I sound like one to you then you should take notice of what I say because I am only being honest. If you think that it is OK for the party apparachiks to tell everyone who they should vote for and push loyalists away that is fine by me but it seems a bit, well, exclusionary and solely based on demographics and not philosiphy. So now that the anti-war veteran candidate Hackett has been rendered moot because of Rep Murthas' clumsy moves in the press all Dems are supposed to swear feality to the Lord's Shumer/Reid's vassel. How feudal of them. And how medevial. So whose ring do you have to kiss to get ahead these days in the democratic party? This is why I'm an independent with a small 'i'. You want to go Democratic that is your business.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#29)
    by Mike on Wed Feb 15, 2006 at 08:45:01 AM EST
    Squeaky, if you have some documentation for your claims provide them. Otherwise, you're just wrong. I've given you documentation of what happened. Otherwise, you're just shooting from the hip and pulling a Rove. Pathetic.

    Re: Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 15, 2006 at 08:04:15 PM EST
    Somehow, it looks like us Democrats want to run for office in the worst way. Ed

    Paul Hackett Drops Out of Senate Race | 29 comments (29 topical)