Friday, July 23, 2010

Political scientist engages in politics

Did you know that the Nebraska Democratic Party currently has no candidate for governor?  Well, Larry Sabato knows, and he's hopping mad about it.  Here's a selection from his (gated) interview with the Omaha World-Herald, as reported by Kyle Michaelis:
"You should absolutely be embarrassed," argued Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "To be unable to put up a candidate for the highest office in your state is not only pathetic, its shirking your duty as representatives of one of the two major parties in this country".....
"It just doesn't happen because, like the presidency, the governor of a state has enormous executive auhority," he said. "You'll see House and Senate seats go unopposed sometimes, but not races for governor".....
"There's got to be someone there," Sabato said. "Some state senator? Someone with a little name recongition and experience?....When everbody knows it's hopeless, I'd think voters - heck, voters from both parties - would be appreciative that someone was brave enough to stand up and take one for the democratic process."
"[Democrats not finding a candidate] would diplay such weakness," Sabato said. "And really, for a group that receives special privileges under the law because they provide Americans a choice, it would be a dereliction of duty."

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