(H/T: AoSHQ) The two were Mike Parrish in PA-06 (Lean Republican) and Buffie McFadyen in CO-0[3] (Safe Republican). Of the two, obviously Parrish is the more disappointing news for Democrats… but it’s interesting to note that ‘R+5’ is apparently enough to be effectively out of the realm of possibility for Democrats this cycle anyway. I remember a time when it was not, and that time was 2006 and 2008.

I know, I know, it’s vaguely minor news and everything. But if you’re wondering why people are making certain assumptions about the 2014 election cycle, it’s because of stories like these. You look at who is running, who is retiring, who is staying out of races, who is jumping in… money, too, of course, but money tends to get cancelled out by other money. In the end, the people running are the biggest part of this picture. To mangle Machiavelli… gold may not get you good candidates, but good candidates can always get you gold.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: In that vein: the Democratic party would be well-advised to pop OFA like a zit and use those resources to fix the DNC. I say this, serene in the knowledge that nobody in the Democratic party will ever, ever listen to me…