From what I've gathered, a crucial crux of the Republicans strategy to win back the house is to try to link Democratic candidates with Nancy Pelosi and essentially run against Pelosi. Excluding the candidate in Pelosi's district of course, do you think this strategy is a good idea for the Republicans?
I think it
could work, but it depends where and how.
I think just invoking the name could potentially help Republicans maintain districts they already have. But that's not what this seems to be focusing on asking about, but rather wanting to know about seats that are up for grabs that its being used for.
I think this strategy can work for House seats IF they tie it to issues and tie it to the notion that the House Democrats have been voting lock step with Nancy and thus while they may not actually BE Nancy Pelosi, they may as well be. Essentially attempt to use the 2006 strategy in regards to painting any Republican that voted for something Bush wanted as essentially being George Bush.
As such, this is going to work best if they do it when going up against incumbants. For example someone could take an encumbants voting record and highlight the major issues that they voted in favor of right along side Pelosi. They could show, instead of what we often see which is "how often they vote with democrats", a stat showing "How often they vote with Pelosi". If someone's trotting out a number that "On 95% of the issues, on things such as health care, cap and trade, trap, and bailouts, [representitive x] voted in line with Nancy Pelosi" its going to be hard to play out the "I'm not Nancy" game and I think could very easily resonate.
It will be harder to do with non-incumbants attempting to take Republican seats, or where a new person is going to be running, but still possibl by looking at their views on things and comparing it.
It also can help in regards to any politician that, for example, was saying they would vote against health care...or did...and then seemingly swapped their vote, allowing republicans to point at the Big Dog in the House as the person responsable and able to have such sway over the representitive that they could cause them to swing the vote over to her for the sake of power.
Could it be bumbled and handled poorly? Absolutely. But I do think its something that could have a strong possability of helping Republicans in toss up districts if done right.