UPDATE ON LIDDY

News site raw story linked to my post about Dole not seeking re-election. They have received a one line statement from Sen. Elizabeth Dole's office stating only that she apparently will stand for re-election in 2008. They must not be very excited about it because their pathetic response lacked any evidence of her enthusiasm for seeking re-election, much less a defense of the god-awful job she did running the National Republican Senatorial Committee. It didn't even refute my source's comments that she is "completely demoralized" by the stunning defeat her party saw at the poll's in November.

Here's the backstory:

A quick glance at her most recent FEC Campaign Finance Report summary shows that Dole only has $223,775 cash on hand as of 9/30/06.

Her support of fellow Republicans is pathetic too. She has contributed a measly $8k to Republican Senate candidates. That includes $3K to Suzanne Terrell back in her unsuccessful run-off against Dem Sen. Mary Landrieu in 2002. Since then, she's given $4K to Sen. Jon Kyl of AZ and $1K to unsuccessful Senate candidate Michael Steel of MD.

A more indepth look of how enthusiastically her colleagues are to support her is even more telling. In her first race for Senate in 2002, only 9 GOP colleagues supported her campaign committe, totalling $10,700. There was an additional $1k from disgraced, sexually harassing former Sen. Bob Packwood of OR. Since her '02 election, only two of her colleagues have shown her financial support, Sen. Wayne Allard of CO, and Sen. Richard Shelby of AL, whose total contributions add up to a whopping $3k.

Given her disastrous stewardship of the NRSC and lame support of her fellow Senators and Republican candidates, I doubt she can expect any kind of enthusiastic support from ANY Republican in the Senate. Keep in mind that, thanks to Liddy, their ability to fundraise will be significantly affected by their new minority status.

Now, Sen. Dole. Are you really going to run for re-election given all of the crap you're gonna have to deal with? If you actually are going to, how about giving us the courtesy of a real statement. I don't think you can begin to make the case for why you should even attempt to mount a campaign for re-election.