What if you host a national party convention and nobody shows up?

The National Journal is reporting that 9 of 12 Republican Senate candidates running in the most competitive states are either skipping the Republican National Convention in St. Paul or haven’t decided whether they’ll attend. Apparently the party’s reputation is so sullied with the general public that candidates don’t want anything to do with it.

Those who have already decided to skip the GOP festivities: Sen. Ted Stevens, Sen Susan Collins (a John McCain loyalist, the National Journal notes), and Bob Schaffer, who is running for Sen. Wayne Allard’s seat in Colorado. A half dozen others — Sens. Roger Wicker, John Sununu, Elizabeth Dole, and Gordon Smith, along with challengers John Kennedy and Rep. Steve Pearce — haven’t yet decided if they’ll come to St. Paul.

Of course, one targeted Republican senator, Norm Coleman, really doesn’t have much choice but to show up.