US Senate races - 2006

[UrbScotty]

Seventeen Democrats, fifteen Republicans, and Jim Jeffords are up for re-election. The scary part is, we need to win twenty-four seats (including Jeffords) to win back the majority.

But we can do it.

Here are the Senators up for re-election in 2006. The ones in blue, of course, are Democrats, while the red ones are the other party.

On the first line I have the names of incumbents in ALL CAPS, followed by people of the incumbent's party whom I think might seek the seat should the incumbent retire. On the second line, I have members of the other party whom I think could run.

For example:

AZ:
JON KYL, Fmr. Gov. Jane Dee Hull, Rep. J.D. Hayworth
Janet Napolitano (up for re-election), Reps. Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva

In other words, I think of Napolitano, Pastor, and Grijalva as potential candidates for Repub Sen. Jon Kyl's seat. If Kyl retires, I think Hull or Hayworth (Please, God, no) could make a run for it.

------------------------

AZ:
JON KYL, Fmr. Gov. Jane Dee Hull, Rep. JD Hayworth
Janet Napolitano (up for re-election), Reps. Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva

CA:
DIANNE FEINSTEIN, Reps. Henry Waxman, Bob Matsui, Loretta (or, for that matter, Linda) Sanchez, Barbara Lee, and Maxine Waters
Ah-nuld (up for re-election), Bill Jones, Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Bill Thomas, David Dreier, and Darrel Issa (who bankrolled the recall)

CT:
JOE LIEBERMAN, Reps. John Larsen and Rosa DeLauro
Gov. Jodi Rell (up for re-election), Rep. Rob Simmons

DE:
TOM CARPER
Rep. Mike Castle

FL: BILL NELSON
Jeb, Porter Goss, Katharine Harris, Joe Scarborough (ex-congressman, you know)

HI:
DANIEL AKAKA, Reps. Ed Case and Neil Abercrombie
Gov. Linda Lingle (up for re-election)

IN:
DICK LUGAR, Reps. Steve Buyer, Mike Pence, and Dan Burton
Rep. Peter Visclosky

ME:
OLYMPIA SNOWE
Rep. Tom Allen and Mike Michaud, Gov. John Baldacci (up for re-election)

MD:
PAUL SARBANES, any Dem Congressman
Gov. Bob Ehrlich (up for re-election), Reps. Wayne Gilchrist and Roscoe Bartlett

MA:
TED KENNEDY, any congressman (they're all Dems)
Gov. Mitt Romney (up for re-election)

MI:
DEBBIE STABENOW
Any Repub congressman (except Ehlers or Schwarz), John Engler (he lives out of state), Energy Sec. Spence Abraham (whom Stabenow unseated in 2000)

MN:
MARK DAYTON
Rep. Mark Kennedy

MS:
TRENT LOTT, Gov. Haley Barbour
Reps. Gene Taylor and Bennie Thompson

MO:
JIM TALENT
Dick Gephardt, Rep.-elect Russ Carnahan

MT:
CONRAD BURNS
Gov.-elect Brian Schweitzer (his 2000 opponent)

NE:
BEN NELSON (Considered Dem in name only)
Gov. Mike Johanns, Reps. Tom Osborne and Lee Terry

NV:
JOHN ENSIGN
Rep. Shelley Berkley

NJ: JON CORZINE
Christie Whitman, Reps. Rodney Frelinghuysen and Christopher Smith

NM: JEFF BINGAMAN, Gov. Bill Richardson (up for re-election), Rep. Tom Udall
Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce

NY: HILLARY CLINTON
Rudy, Gov. George Pataki

ND: KENT CONRAD, Rep. Earl Pomeroy
Gov. John Hoeven

OH:
MIKE DeWINE
Dennis, Rep. Marcy Kaptur

PA:
RICK SANTORUM
Gov. Ed Rendell (up for re-election), Joe Hoeffel (Santorum should be easier to beat than Specter), Chris Heinz (this is the seat his GOP dad held; thanks to rhino47)

RI:
LINCOLN CHAFEE (Repub in name only), Lincoln Almond (if Chafee switches)

TN:
BILL FRIST, any Repub. congressman, Fmr. Rep. Ed Bryant
Gov. Phil Bredesen (up for re-election), Harold Ford, Jr., Al Gore

TX:
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Fmr. Rep. Ken Bentsen

UT:
ORRIN HATCH
Rep. Jim Matheson

VT:
JIM JEFFORDS, Howard Dean (only if Jeffords retires)
Gov. Jim Douglas

VA:
GEORGE ALLEN
Gov. Mark Warner

WA:
MARIA CANTWELL
Rep. Doc Hastings, ’04 nominee George Nethercutt

WV:
ROBERT BYRD, Rep. Allan Mollohan, Rep. Nick J. Rahall
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito

WI:
HERB KOHL, Rep. David Obey, Gov. Jim Doyle (up for re-election)
HHS Sec. Tommy Thompson, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner

WY:
CRAIG THOMAS, Rep. Barbara Cubin
Gov. Dave Fraudenthal (up for re-election)

If you hve a Dem Senator running for re-election in your state, I encourage you to keep tabs on whether or not he or she will seek another term. If they do seek one more term, get to work for their campaign right away. We can do it, if we work hard.

[rhino47]

1. The word from Pa is Chris Heinz

to run against santorum.Thats what I heard from erie democratic party hq and also mercer co.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. He is a little young and inexperienced, but

He would certainly make a credible candidate for the U. S. House. His father's old House seat is currently held by a Republican (Melissa Hart).

[Arkana]

36. If I was a PA resident, I'd vote for Chris

Just to get rid of Rick "Man on Dog is GOOD!" Santorum.

[leyton]

40. Is he old enough? n/t

[Cheswick2.0]

50. Chris should run for congress first

Hoeffel is not damaged goods. He ran a very close race against a moderate Republican who had union support. I think he can beat Santorum and he is a terrific reform democrat.
Heinz is young. He has a bright future and should get some more experience first. I think he has to find out exactly what kind of democrat he is, since I am sure that at some point in his past he had every intention of being a republican like his dad.

[hopein08]

53. Awesome!

You don't know how excited that just made me!! I'll volunteer for Chris Heinz in an instant!

rhino47, are you from Erie? I am. If you are, did you hear that Phil English is worried about Chris Heinz running against Melissa Hart so he's trying to get her on the Ways and Means committee so that she'll have more experience to run on? I wish he'd (English) would get defeated!

[TN al]

2. In Tennessee...

...Don Sundquist couldn't win an election for dog catcher. Repubs were running attack ads comparing their dem opponent to him. Any votes Sundquist might get for dog catcher would come from dems. No repub would ever vote for him so you should take him off of your list.

[UrbScotty]

3. I just took him off my list. (nt)

[dolstein]

4. Olympia Snowe should be in red

NT

[UrbScotty]

5. Whoops - I'm sorry abouit that

...although she is liberal for a Republican, I don't see her switching parties.

[0rganism]

6. Which ones do you think are vulnerable?

For pickups, we need to look for anyone in a "blue state" or a "pink state" who could be construed as "too extreme", especially if we can field strong opposition. For instance, Santorum's seat in PA looks weak. John Kyl could be pushed out by the right contender. I suspect Nelson will defect, and could be nudged out by another ultra-moderate opportunist. Ensign could be weak, depending on what happens in Yucca Mountain. DeWine, maybe, if Ohio libs are fired up instead of turned off by the 2004 disaster. Gep could potentially unseat Talent, based on name recognition. I'd be reluctant to oust Chaffee or Snowe, because they're rare voices of moderation in the republican caucus, but someone should run against them anyway.

On our side, I see Byrd's WV seat as vulnerable if he retires. Conrad in ND will have to defend uphill. Bingaman NM is endangered but I suspect he will pull through somehow. Bill Nelson will lose his FL seat, regardless of who runs against him, due to extreme corruption. Other than that, we seem to be in much better shape this time around.

[pstokely]

7. Talent of could be contrued as "done nothing"

nt

[keyzersoze13]

8. Pick-ups

Looking over the list, I think our best chance is in PA, especially if we can persuade Rendell to run. Kucinich could benefit from his 2004 run and make a real go of it in Ohio. I think Gephardt has a good shot in Missouri too, since he's got the name and everything. There's a good chance Chaffee will switch. I'd love to see Gore go after Frist, although it'd be a one in a million shot that we'd win.

As for defense, WV seems the most vulnerable. The GOP will certainly gun for NY too.

[LimpingLib]

9. West Virginia will be EASY to hold.

We just won a "50-50" open seat like 65%-32% , a progressive can kick ass in West Virginia. In 2000 Wise beat the long serving GOP incumbant (he was youngest and oldest Governor in WV history ever)51%-47% while Gore got splattered. Just because our anti-civil libertys and DLC pro-corperation nominees get vomitted out doesnt mean anything except we are out of touch.




Plus both Democratic congressmen are Pro Life and Capito is Pro Choice. (we kick butt when its us as the Pro Choice canidates but this match up will result in even more of a bloodbath) Capito was loosing by 30% in the most conservative (but still progressive) district in Wes Virginia against a liberal Democrat till he got smeared for ethical troubles (dishonest attacks true but they stuck , he was late on tax payments)in the final month.The other 2 districts have 2 progresive Democrats (Pro Life but also pro civil libertys)including an Arab.

[LimpingLib]

10. I agree Clinton could be toast though.

Im not crying , unless you count crocodile tears.

Guiliani wants to run for President against Clinton though not for Senator. Pataki might decide to keep his Governorship.

I wish we could nominate a pro civil liberty progressive like Mark Green in New York.

The GOP and Democratic party in New York (look at the top office holders) just makes me want to cry however.

[0rganism]

19. Hillary Clinton absolutely should not run for president

That would lead to a republican ORGASM of Clinton-bashing hate. Every repuke on the AM dial would be saying, "See? I told you the Clintons sabotaged the Democrats so Hillary could run for president!"

She would lose every state Kerry lost, and maybe more. We need her in the senate; as a returning incumbent she will slowly gain seniority and will become an extremely powerful advocate for NY state once the Dems are a majority party again.

We need our version of Nixon to step up after bush's second. Mark Warner (Governor, VA) is our best bet.

[UrbScotty]

24. West Virginia should be easy to hold.

Capito might provide somewhat of a contest, but otherwise we should hold on to this one.

[Lenape85]

56. Which one is the Arab?????

And is Capito pro-choice? She seems to be very anti-abortion

[davidinalameda]

61. Rahall is Lebanese

[UrbScotty]

18. I'm worried about Stabenow here in Michigan and Dayton in Minnesota.

Both are freshmen in battleground states. Dayton has probably made a name for himself than Stabenow, IMHO. Nonetheless, I think both have a better than 50% shot at re-election.

[indigo32]

29. I'm less worried about Dayton after the elections here

But nothings a sure thing.

[DaveinMD]

35. Stabenow

is in good shape from everything I hear.

[Hippo_Tron]

63. Dayton is supposed to retire

Unfortunately that isn't a good thing for us.

[Blue Wally]

20. How does Gephart fare outstate??

While Gephart is solid in his district, how does he do in the rest of MO??

[liberal democrat]

46. Does Gephardt have any desire to run for the senate?

He had a very long and successful career in the house (28 years). What makes you think he wants to come back as a senator with no seniority? Is it rumored in Missouri or are you just speculating?

[Hippo_Tron]

64. Conrad is completely safe

Dorgan just won with 60% in ND and that was a presidential election year where people turned out in mass numbers to re-elect *.

Bingman in NM may have a bit of a problem because of his vote against Gonzalez. Granted NM was a blue state in 2000 and barely a red state this time so I think that the people of NM are smarter than that.

WV I wouldn't worry about too much, we have repeatedly dominated statewide elections there. Byrd will handpick a successor and his endorsement will have a lot of clout.

As far as Nelson of Florida goes, you have to consider one thing. He won in Florida, in 2000.

If Nelson of Nebraska defects it will be very difficult to outst him. Democrats are basically non-existant in Nebraska. But I don't think that he'll defect, he was Nebraska's Governor as a Democrat.

Oh yea and Chafee and Snowe need to go. Snowe will be difficult to unseat becuase of seniority but with Chafee we may have a chance. Chafee is basically the equivalent of a moderate dem minus his caucus vote. Kerry took Rhode Island with, I believe, a bigger margin than Massachusetts. We could get a genuine progressive Democrat if we challenged Chafee. I like the guy, but he made the decission to continue caucusing with the GOP and therefore he is still our enemy.

BTW, you can count on the Club for Growth financing a primary challenger against Chafee. If they do manage to install a right winger in Chafee's place, whoever the Democratic opponent is will win in a landslide.

[Counciltucky]

74. Ben Nelson...

You're right about Nelson. He'll probably win unless Tom Osborne runs for Senate (not likely, though -- the heavy rumor is Osborne running for Gov, which he should win with some 98% of the vote). The thing is, Nelson is only a Democrat in the official sense. He doesn't vote with the Dems, but at the same time a liberal couldn't win in Nebraska. The last Democrat in the House in NE was Peter Hoagland (he's a funnyass dude, btw) -- Nebraskans don't care for Dems, and really, I don't know why Nelson's a Dem. He doesn't help the party platform at all. If he defected I wouldn't even be upset.

[Pirate Smile]

72. Why do they have to be construed as "too extreme"?

Why do the Republicans target the moderate to conservative Dems in red states (like both Nelson Senators)but we don't focus on targeting the moderate to liberal Republicans in Blue states like Chafee, Snowe and Collins?

We need those friggin seats!

They vote for Frist for ML and go along with almost all of BushCo's plans. They get bullied into voting for tons of things they probably don't support by the Republican Leadership.

Those are blue states and they should be Dem Senators.

We need to target those seats also.

[pstokely]

11. will any of these states have a gay marriage amendment on the ballot?

?

[LimpingLib]

12. We need a sort of cultural truce on that issue.

Agree that there should be some bascic rights like hospital visitations and perhaps a few other minor compromises then admit we need to just let time move on and try and find a concensus that the majority can come too.

I have agreed to NEVER again call anybody a homophobe who disagrees on civil unions as a compromise though I support full blown gay marriage.

I think that if the hollywood and entertainment elite would just be more tolerant of intolerance (lol O.K. I just called those that disagree with me a name lol)and not ao arogant maybe we could get a compromise with the "moral majority". I dunno.

AS soon as we start with the anti "trailor trash" soundbites we will loose. Level heads are needed.

I hate admitting Im in the minority on an issue but.. damn.. I sure am on this one.

[arcos]

27. Massachussetts... n/t

[jerseygirl]

13. NJ and MD

In MD, Paul Sarbanes will likely retire. Look for former Gov. Parris Glendening or former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend to run for his seat.

In NJ, Jon Corzine will run for governor in 2005. Rep. Bob Menendez is the leading candidate to be appointed to fill the seat, though I've also heard Rep. Frank Pallone's name mentioned. I think it's safe to say, given the demographics and electoral trends in the Garden State, that Frelinghuysen and Smith don't stand a chance of winning election statewide. They are way too conservative. Whitman is a possibility, though.

[DaveinMD]

37. You are really out of touch with Maryland

Glendening and Townsend are unpopular figures within the party. Should Sarbanes retire, Kweisi Mfume would likely run. Its possible Duncan or O'Malley would skip the Governor's race and run for the Senate. Its also possible that Steny Hoyer or Al Wynn would run for this seat.

[JerseygirlCT]

39. Saw your name and just had to say "hi". nt

[nickshepDEM]

58. Sarbanes...

"In MD, Paul Sarbanes will likely retire. Look for former Gov. Parris Glendening or former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend to run for his seat."

I live in Maryland and I have heard he is not going to retire. If he does, GOD HELP us if KTT runs.

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Barbara Hafer may be able to knock off Santorum

She has been elected to state-wide office four times in the last 20 years, she is from Western PA (Santorum's base), and she is a former Republican. On the downside, she is pretty liberal on social issues, which may lose her a lot of support against Santorum in W. PA.

[davidinalameda]

43. Hafer can take old Rick

she's from Pittsburgh and guessing she still has strong ties to the area

[Cheswick2.0]

51. Freddi, you keep trying to push the idea that only social conservatives

win here but the evidence just doesn't back you up. Rendell is a social liberal and so is Kerry and Gore and Clinton and Spector. All of them are firmly pro-choice, pro sensible gun control, and all of them win here in Pa.
We have a republican majority state senate because we have more republican districts. A concerted effort by fiscally moderate populist democrats with some conviction could take some of those seats. But in state wide races social conservatives have NO advantage.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. Olympia Snow is actually a Republican

Although she is one of the liberal GOPers in the Senate.

[UrbScotty]

17. See posts 4 and 5 (nt)

[LimpingLib]

21. Oposition to land mine bans and nuclear bans isnt "liberal"

Especially considering she and Collins were the deciding vote. She is Pro gun and opposes civil libertys (typical right winger logic , only have rights on guns but not on anything else)plus defeated Tom Andrews who if elected would have been the most progressive senator. She supports all forms of corperate wellfare but opposes programs for the poor.

[Hippo_Tron]

22. Agreed, Snow and Collins need to be challenged...

If they take out our moderates, we'll take out theirs. I'd make an exception for Chafee and Chafee only, especially since he is considering going dem anyway.

[tedoll78]

31. We need to pain Snowe and Collins as "Lott-enablers."

Just like they paint Southern Dems as "Kennedy-enablers."

If we can put-forth an effective linkage between the extremism of Lott, Sessions, etc to Snowe and Collins, they become very vulnerable. Let the left-leaning populaces of their states know that with Snowe and Collins in the Senate supporting Frist as majority leader, they're the ones propping-up the Chimp.

Hell, I'd even propose that we run an "Independant" candidate in those states while not running a Democrat. Of course, those two independants will just happen to caucus with the Democrats. This could be our new winning strategy in the NorthEast..

[geek tragedy]

33. Bush enablers too.

Lots of nasty votes in supporting the majority.

[Cheswick2.0]

52. that's right, we have to make a case for voting Party not person

I always gag when people preeninly tell me they vote for the person not the party. It matters which party is in power.

[llpoperations]

55. Do a Jeffords on Snowe

If Snowe remains one of the last moderate GOPers, she needs to know that the DEMS will come after her HARD!

But,

if she joins Jeffords as an Independent, she gets overwhelming support from all of Maine.

Same with Chaffee in RI this year, and Collins in 2008.

If they stay Republicans, it's only a matter of time until they lose, but as Independents, their seats are theirs as long as they want.

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. Trouble is, we won't get back the Hill until we have verifiable voting

-----------------------------------------------------------
FIGHT! Take this country back one town and state at a time!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/electionreform.htm

[ronnykmarshall]

25. California - - - - rummors!

There is a rummor floating around Sacramento that Arnie won't run for another term as Gov and will run for senate.

What I think he is waiting for is if Dianne runs again or not. Which is the same thing he did last year.

Dianne was being courted to run in the recall, but she said no. THEN Arnie jumped in.

We'll see what happens in the next year. My guess? Dianne will run again in 2006 and win.

[DjTj]

26. If Arnold runs for Senate...

DiFi should run for governor.

They would be setting up a serious game of chicken there.

[UrbScotty]

30. Won't she be nearing 80 by the time her term ends in 2013?

I heard she is already in her 70's.

[NoodleBoy]

28. ALL Arizona Democratic positions on the ballot in 2006 are threatened

by John McCain-- everything he touches turns to gold in this state-- and a proposed AZ constitutional amendment specifically banning gay marriage, which is really retarded and is a cheap GOTV effort because the AZ constitution already defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

[dragonlady]

32. Wisconsin possibility

Jon Erpenbach, Democratic leader in the state Senate, has announced that he is stepping down from that post and also will not run for reelection to the state Senate in 2006. He represents an area near Madison and has been an excellent senator, enactiing the popular no-call-list, for one thing. He was a big supporter of Howard Dean. (Jon is Russ Feingold's brother in law, by the way.) I wonder if he is planning to run for something else that year? My guess would be Senate if Kohl retires. Kohl has said that he will run again, but he is getting fairly old and I believe I read somewhere that he is rather frail, so who knows?

Please, not Tommy Thompson (I really don't see him running again, I think he knows he wouldn't have the backing he used to have). And I doubt Sensenbrenner would try for Senate, as he has too much fun being chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Bryan Kennedy will take him out in 2006.

[CarbonDate]

45. If Thompson runs for anything....

...it'll be governor. Senate is really a step down from governor. But he'll lose; Doyle's really been doing too well to make people want to go back to the stupid old days of Thompson.

[Wisc Badger]

60. I am not sure on that one

I don't think that Doyle is as popular state wide as you do. I think that he may have a real race on his hands in 06. Wisconsin (more is the pity) is only a barely blue state.

[Wisc Badger]

59. Don't think so

Tommy can take Kohl statewide, and if it is an open seat and Tommy wants it, it will be his.

Sensenbrenner's seat is drawn as a majority GOP safe seat, with a good chunk of the GOP part of Milwaukee and Waukesha. Sensenbrenner is safe (and unfortunately so is Ryan).

[Quetzal]

34. A Democrat will win in Idaho

before Daniel Akaka loses his seat in Hawaii. Not even Lingle could take him out.

[JerseygirlCT]

38. CT: I would have guessed Nancy Johnson would be the Repubs

best bet against Lieberman, or if he abandons ship (completely) by taking an adminstration position. My sense is that Jodi Rell is a place-holder, unless she starts showing some personality and getting things done. And Rob Simmons had a tough race just to keep his seat in Congress... I don't think CT would go for him in the Senate.

And I wonder if someone from the Dem side will run against Lieberman in the primary? Or is that just wishful thinking?

[ProgressiveConn]

71. I think Rell will run no doubt.

She has gone out of her way to show how liberal she is... I mean republicans advocating civil unions? Johnson wouldn't win a senate seat against anyone though I hope she does so we can pick up her house seat and defeat her in a Senate run. I've got a cousin who is an Aide for her. There is nothing I'd like more than to cost him his job. =)

Here is to a solid blue Connecticut in 2006. =)

[DrGonzoLives]

41. Lugar will win

Even if he retires, there's really no Democrat in the state who can challenge for that seat. Kernan has no real desire to go to Washington, and I don't know if Susan Davis (his Lt. Gov.) would do well or not. Visclosky wins because he wins Merrilville and Gary, which are basically Chicago - I don't see him doing well in the rest of the state, but who knows?

At any rate, anyone who challenges Lugar goes down in flaming defeat.

[catbert836]

42. Santorum needs to be defeated

I think Rendell would be good (although he won't run because he's up for reelection as governor) and Joe Hoeffel should run as well as Chris Heinz. I hope Bob Casey runs (state treasurer) but he probably won't.

[democraticdan]

44. Warner

Should Warner risk his political career in VA. Ih loses to Allen, he greatly reduces his chance of being a Prez or VP candidate in 2008. Even if he wins, Governors have always done better in the south than senators. Thoughts on this?

[Pirate Smile]

49. You start running for Prez almost two years before election day so I don't

know why he would run for Senate. Plus, how much would the people of VA like electing someone who never even gets a chance to do the job.

Didn't he have some large executive positions in founding telecommunications companies like Nextel before he became Gov? Do the Repubs want to start bashing him for not having enough time in government? He can turn that to his advantage.

[Lefty48197]

47. Michigan:

I've heard the names of "Billfold" Betsy DeVos and Spence Abraham's wife mentioned as possible Republican candidates to face Debbie Stabenow. Keep and eye on Abraham.

[Ediacara]

48. In Montana

I think that Attorney General Mike McGrath has been eyeing a run for the Senate seat, and is a lot more likely than Brian Schwietzer. If McGrath runs against Burns he wins because Burns is a do-nothing fool and a pretty big racist (this is kind of new news).

If Burns retires (he's only about 307 years old), and I think he might, GOP Rep Denny Rehberg will probably run for his seat, and the odds I think are even.

[kevsand]

65. I had heard that McGrath might

be a possibility. I'd like to know more about him, because on the face of it, he'd be a strong candidate.

[hopein08]

54. In RI...

Do you think there's any chance Patrick Kennedy could challenge Chafee? I've heard his name mentioned in a few other places.

[Lavender Brown]

57. I read he wants to stay in the House

and be Speaker when it's back in a Democratic majority.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goodhue]

66. In MN, Mark Dayton is not seeking re-election

There are many potential DFL candidates for US Senate in 2006.
Wetterling, Klobuchar & Ciresi all appear to be in the race.
Rotenberg is reportedly taking several weeks to make a decision.
Rukavina and Janezich are reportedly considering.
Kelley and Yanisch have not ruled it out from what I can tell.
Franken, McCollum and Dean Johnson have indicated they will not run. Who else?

On IR side, Grams has indicated he may run, along with presumptive favorite Rep. Kennedy. Rep. Gil Gutknecht has said he will not run.

MN:
MARK DAYTON, Patty Wetterling, Amy Klobuchar, Mike Ciresi, Mark Rotenberg, Tom Rukavina, Jerry Janezich, Steve Kelley, Rebecca Yanisch

Rep. Mark Kennedy, Rod Grams

[NoodleBoy]

67. Everyone knows, but just for the record: Sarbanes not seeking re-election

[B0S0X87]

68. Who do you think will go for his seat?

Seems like it should be an easy one to hold onto.

[Demrock6]

70. In MN I like Patty Wetterling

www.pattywetterling.com

[PresidentObama]

69. In Missouri.....

Put Senator Talent up against Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon.

[Counciltucky]

73. Didn't know Jay Nixon was a Dem...

Maybe the name Nixon threw me off.

Nixon had the best line three-and-a-half years ago -- the state was suing Miss Cleo for fraud or something like that, and Nixon said, "She should have seen it coming."