Oklahoma: Democratic Rep. Dan Boren and Republican Rep. Tom Cole both expect Republican Tom Coburn to run for re-election to the Senate in 2010. And that is exactly what both are supposed to say when they have no inside information. Coburn only had $57,000 in his account as of the end of March. Even for a cakewalk election, you still need office space and staff and a few visible media buys and campaign paraphernalia - you need a couple million, even in Oklahoma. (Coburn spent $5 million on his 2004 run, which was more competitive than the 53-41 ultimate result might suggest.) Sure, Coburn could raise the, say, two to three million bucks he'd need for a cakewalk run over the next year; but, man, just $57,000 - and in January to March of 2009, he only took in $17,000. That's next to nothing. So far, I think it's still very 50-50.
Florida: Democratic Congressman Ron Klein has ruled out a 2010 Senate bid, leaving the Democratic primary to Congressman Kendrick Meek, State Senator Dan Gelber (who may run for state Attorney General, rumor has it), and North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns. In other news, Republican Charlie Crist has further alienated conservatives by pissing off the NRA. That makes: fiscal conservatives unhappy with Crist's support for President Obama's economic stimulus, social conservatives wary of the rumors surrounding Crist's sexual orientation, and now the NRA angry with Crist - quite the anti-Crist coalition that Republican 2010 Senate candidate and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio has to work with.
Arkansas: It appears that Karl Rove protege Tim Griffin will not run for Senate in 2010 against Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-WalMart). With Griffin and state Senate Republican Leader Kim Hendren out, state sen. Gilbert Baker and businessman Curtis Coleman are the most likely Republican candidates.
New Hampshire: Congressman and 2010 Senate candidate Paul Hodes will hold a fundraiser next week headlined by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy. The biggest-name Republicans that the Roll Call article cites as potential challengers are Republican National Committeeman Sean Mahoney and '96 GOP gubernatorial nominee Ovide Lamontagne, suggesting that the NH-GOP may be desperate.
Connecticut: President Obama made it abundantly clear that he will be going all out to assist Senator Christopher Dodd in his 2010 Senate re-election.
Pennsylvania: Reportedly, the DSCC and the White House are urging Congressman Joe Sestak to stay out of the 2010 Democratic Senate primary against Arlen Specter. That said, having developed a sense of Congressman Sestak's motivations, such urging might only serve to further lead Congressman Sestak to run for Senate. In related news, former Congressman and 2004 Democratic nominee for Senate Joe Hoeffel says that he'll endorse Congressman Sestak if he runs. Also, Republican former Governor Tom Ridge still won't back likely 2010 Republican Senate nominee Pat Toomey:
"I'm going to wait to see if people I know, whom I might support decide to make the difficult decision to run," said the former Pennsylvania governor on CNN's State of The Union.
Is it just me, or does it sound like Ridge has a potential challenger in mind when he says "if people I know, whom I might support"? Also, Ridge interestingly notes that he "never, ever, ever" votes straight Republican ticket. Though Ridge may be dipping his toe in the post-partisan pool, a comment like that certainly won't endear him to Republican primary voters if he runs for President in '12 or '16. Elsewhere, CQ Politics profiles Democratic State Representative Bill Kortz, the only person other than Arlen Specter currently in the 2010 Democratic Senate primary. (It would be great if Representative Kortz would put up a campaign website where we could learn more about him.)
Nevada: Right-wingers are wasting more money ridiculously attacking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in vain through a new front-group called "Our Country Deserves Better." And these wingers seem to be fans of fellow wingnut and former Nevada state Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, who may challenge Senator Reid next year.
North Carolina: Not that I expected him to consider a 2010 Senate bid, but Congressman Mel Watt makes clear that he's not running.
Illinois: Andy Martin, one of the leaders of the morons who are pushing the lie that President Obama is not a natural-born citizen, is running for the Republican nomination for Senate in 2010, for the seat vacated by Barack Obama when he ascended to the Presidency. Martin ran for the GOP Senate nomination in 2008, losing in the primary to Dr. Steve Sauerberg by more than 150,000 votes.
Louisiana: Regarding the potential Senate candidacy of adult film star Stormy Daniels, I was curious about Daniels' Party affiliation, so I asked Team Stormy and got the following response via e-mail:
Stormy is currently not affiliated with any party, and will only announce that if or when she decides to run.
Any bets? I doubt she'd run as a Democrat, since her losing a Democratic primary wouldn't really cause Hookerlover David Vitter any headaches. Either she'll run as a Republican to dog him during the 2010 GOP Senate primary or she'll run as an independent in order to dog him in the general election. One caveat to running as an independent is that she likely won't siphon many Republican votes from Vitter; so, while she may distract Vitter, she won't hurt him electorally as an independent. The maximum damage she can cause him is in a primary challenge. In other news, businessman Jim Bernhard is publicly urging the state Legislature to restore funding for public higher education - an unusual issue for a businessman to be so high-profile on, that is unless he is considering a 2010 Senate bid.
If, according to right-wingers, the expiration of a tax cut equals a tax hike, then Sean Hannity failing to follow through with his pledge to be waterboarded for a veterans' charity equals Sean Hannity effectively stealing money from a veterans' charity. With Memorial Day having just been celebrated, now is among the most tasteless of times for Sean Hannity to be stealing from a veterans' charity. |
