Reply #8: Connecticut...

[NewJeffCT]

We have a very popular moderate Republican governor in Jodi Rell - who was John Rowland's right hand woman for 10 years, but seems to have been teflon to the daily Rowland scandals - but, some top Democrats could challenge her, including Senator Chris Dodd. Dodd's wife just gave birth to their 2nd child and he may be interested in staying closer to home... and, he could appoint a Democrat to serve out the last 4 years of his term. Rell has said she would sign a civil unions bill if passed by the state legislature and also proposed stem cell funding in her current budget.

Personally, I'd rather see Lieberman run for governor, as his neocon foreign policy stance won't come into play as a governor and he is reasonably progressive on many social issues.

Of the current Democrats in the race - New Haven mayor John DiStefano and Sec. of State Susan Bysiewicz - I think Rell beats them fairly easily, unless her popularity takes a hit.