| 10. Suzana Martinez - NM-Gov
Martinez was a unknown district attorney when she took on Lt. Governor Dina Denish in a state that had not only overwhelmingly voted for Obama in 2008 but elected an all Democratic slate to Congress. She succesfully tied Denish into scandal-ridden outgoing governor Bill Richardson and won. The fact she did so in such a Democratic state makes her acheivement marginally more impressive than the Republicans other woman-minority governor-elect, Nikki Haley.
9. Lisa Murkowski - AK-SEN
Ran won of the worst primary campaigns in history, followed by the first successful write in campaign in 50 years. The kudos she deserves for the later far outweigh the mocking she deserves for the former.
8. Jerry Brown - CA-Gov
The former and future governor of California survived the most expensive attack campaign in American history. Almost without breaking a sweat.
7. Kamala Harris - CA-AG
A rising star, and the first woman to win this traditionally conservative law and order position. It's no accident she's being compared to Obama.
6. Rick Snyder - MI-Gov
"One tough nerd" managed to beat out three better known candidates in the Republican primary and crush his Democratic opponent in a state that gave Obama a landside win. Good luck with governing it.
5. Rick Scott - FL-Gov
Just as Time Magazine once picked the Ayatollah Khoemeni as "Man of the Year" we have to put Scott up there as a politician of the year. He beat out Florida's AG for the nomination, and went on to defeat the much respected CFO of the state, despite being acclaimed as the "Madoff of Medicare," among other titles.
4. Pete Sessions - R-Texas
It's hard to single out one candidate in the Republican sweep of the House races this year, although some (Bob Dold? Chip Cravaack? Bill Flores) stand out. So, I'm putting Pete Sessions as a placeholder for everyone, because despite criticism about the NRCC's tepid fundraising he managed to do better than either the RGA or the NRSC, partially through being very agressive about targeting races. Of course, we'll see how he does in 2012, when the landscape may not be as promising.
3. Marco Rubio - FL-SEN
Almost everyone (except Kos) was declaring Rubio dead in the water when Charlie Crist released his first fundraising totals after announcing for Senate in 2009. Now, it's Charlie Crist who is dead in the water, and Marco Rubio who is the potential Republican presidential candidate.
2. Harry Reid - NV-SEN
Here's how much respect I have for Harry Reid as a politician: I think he would have beaten any of his opponents for Senate in 2010. He's that good - his commercials were some of the best of the cycle.
1. Scott Brown - MA-SEN
It's hard to believe that at the beginning of the year, it was assumed Martha Coakley, as Steve Singiser put it, "is likely to be the first woman elected to that chamber from the State of Massachusetts." Even after all that's happened since Brown's victory, it's hard to come up with a more shocking political result in a long time (the only one I can come up with is Harris Wofford's win over Richard Thornburgh way back in 1991). What's more, at this writing, Brown seems to be holding on to his popularity. Because Brown became the early face of the Republican wave that would sweep most strongly in the House elections, but also in the Senate, Governor and all the way down to the state legislatures, I think he should be 2010's Politico of the Year.
WORST POLITICOS - 2010
1. Christine O'Donnell
Oh I hope she goes to jail. I really do. Even then, she probably won't shut up. But I do have to say: thank you Erik Erickson and all the Tea Party organizations who gave us Dems a freebie in Delaware this year.
2. Joe Miller
Would have probably one a place as one of the best had he maintained his momentum after the primary. Instead, he lost to a write-in. Ultamite choke.
Del Ali
The head of polling organization Research 2000 is not a politician, but he was involved enough in politics that he makes my worst list for this year. Hope Kos wins his lawsuit.
Alan Grayson
Republicans should send a big thanks to Grayson for taking so much cash from well meaning progressives to fund an 18 point loss - one of the worst of any incumbent this cycle.
Blanche Lincoln, Paul Hodes (tie)
I guess you can give Lincoln credit for beating Bill Halter in the primary, but considering she was chairman of a major committee (Agriculture) in the Senate, shouldn't she have been able to keep this race closer than a 22 point spread? As for Hodes, remember back in 2008 when Kos told us Hodes would finish off Judd Gregg (or whoever took Gregg's place) in 2010? Yeah, well Hodes lost by almost 24 points. That was worse than Lee Fisher, or almost anyone else in a supposedly competitive race. |
