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She’s in line for credit, or blame, in Senate races

TIM FUNK

Sen. Elizabeth Dole isn’t up for re-election until 2008, but she’s out front in the battle to keep Republicans in power in the Senate, a role that could define her political future.

Dole, who chairs the Senate Republicans’ 2006 campaign, will get some of the credit if the GOP remains in power in the Senate. And she’ll get part of the blame if the Democrats win the six additional seats they need to get control. She’s already been criticized for not raising more money or recruiting better candidates in states such as Florida.

The Salisbury Republican hasn’t been campaigning for House candidates in North Carolina. Instead, she has campaigned for GOP Senate candidates in places such as Montana, New Jersey and Michigan. On Sunday she went toe-to-toe on the TV talk shows with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who leads the Senate Democrats’ effort. And this week, she’s set to venture into Virginia to help Sen. George Allen, R-Va., who’s struggling to hold on to his seat.

I asked Dole if she thought N.C. voters would be OK with her spending so much of her time this year jetting around the country on behalf of GOP Senate candidates.

"I’ve certainly not heard people objecting to it … I think they understand that it’s important to keep the (Republican) majority if we want to continue to see the policies that have benefited folks and families — like tax relief," she said. "In addition, I think people understand that being in the (Senate GOP) leadership means that you’ve had an opportunity to discuss issues that are important to North Carolina." (more…)

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