What do you think about these four "grandpa governors" who want to run for office again?

[alp227]

Saturday's NY Times profiled four former state governors who want to run for office again. They are:
- Roy Barnes (D, Georgia, 1999-2003)
- Jerry Brown (D, California, 1975-1983, has since worked as head of the state Democratic Party, an independent radio show host, Mayor of Oakland, and State Attorney General)
- Terry E. Branstad (R, Iowa, 1983-1999, became a lawyer and president of Des Moines University afterward)
- John Kitzhaber (D, Oregon, 1995-2003, now working in health care)

Oh, for Californians, the Constitutional term limits amendment was passed in 1990 with Proposition 140. Thus, Brown still can run for governor under the conditions against ex post facto laws.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I cannot wait to vote for Jerry Brown!

[valerief]

3. Hope he gets elected! nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I expect him to be elected...nt

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I wish I could. n/t

[onehandle]

2. Roy Barnes was a good Governor for Georgia. Got knocked off with Max Cleland by Diebold.

He has no chance in our population of useless state.

[rurallib]

6. Terry Branstatd is hated by half of his own party

and by their standards he is a librul.
Other repugs running in Iowa are Steve King types which plays badly in Iowa.
Unfortunately, Chet Culver hasn't been good to his Dem base.

[Book Lover]

7. Pathetic - California has 36-some million people and Brown's the only

dem we can get into office? The machine is broken and pathetic. Yeah I'll vote for him, if I bother to vote for that office at all. But his (still theoretical, he still hasn't filed, though we all understand why) candidacy is a failure on many, many levels.

[phasma ex machina]

10. Brown's the only one I recognize.

As you say, a population of 36 million expected to make do with a golden oldie.

New blood please.

[RubyDuby in GA]

8. Out of the 4 Dems (well technically 5 I think) running in GA, Roy Barnes comes in 3rd

in my book. I'm totally over him. Idealogically, I line up behind Poythress, but I'm going to vote for Porter. He has the desire to win. He can fire up a crowd.

I wish Poythress would drop out and run for Lt. Gov. - we still don't have a declared candidate for that race yet.

[stevedeshazer]

9. As far as the Oregon race is concerned, I have mixed feelings

John Kitzhaber is a very strong health care advocate and pushed through the Oregon Health Plan, a program that ensured medical care for thousands of low-income Oregonians. It doesn't hurt that he is an M.D. and former emergency room physician (think Howard Dean in cowboy boots.) He had a solid eight years as Guv the first time, but he had the misfortune of having a crazy-ass conservative Oregon Legislature who obstructed every other good thing he wanted.

I'm sure he has been licking his chops at the prospect of governing again, this time with a solidly Democratic legislature as we have now.

At the same time, I have my reservations; third terms are unpopular, Kitz is no spring chicken, and there are a number of younger progressives who would do just fine.

Checking in from Oregon.

[WheelWalker]

11. I'll support him n/t