Smith, who was easily re-elected in 2002, has been an increasingly vocal critic of the administration’s Iraq policy. But Sununu barely won his campaign six years ago and has mostly avoided comment on the president’s Iraq plan. That’s no surprise, since anger over the war has been credited as the reason Democrats made historic political gains in New Hampshire last year. (At least three Democrats, including Sununu’s 2002 opponent, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, have been rumored as potential challengers next year.) No doubt these ads are a preview of how Democrats plan to defend their midterm election victories and, they hope, make further congressional gains in 2008.
Judging purely by numbers alone, Republicans are on more vulnerable footing, at least in the Senate. The GOP will be defending 21 Senate seats, compared to the Democrats’ 12 in 2008. The National Republican Senatorial Committee already has been feeling some pressure of its own over how to handle the war debate. Last month, Hugh Hewitt, a prominent blogger and conservative radio host, called on Republicans to hold back donations to the NRSC unless chairman John Ensign pledges to withhold the party’s support from incumbent GOP senators who are against the troop surge. As of Wednesday, more than 32,000 people had signed the pledge.
