Question: What happens to Obama and Biden's Senate seats?

[Red Knight]

Do they hold a special election for the seats?

Does the governor appoint replacements?

Anybody know?

Thanks.

[nichomachus]

1. You could google it n/t

[Red Knight]

4. Wow! What help!

Do you take pleasure in being a moron?

[quantass]

7. I have to agree with you too.

[LibraLiz1973]

10. I know, that response was ridiculous.

If you don't have anything to add to the conversation, don't bother responding.
Heaven forbid if anyone asks a question these days.

[nichomachus]

14. And what did you add to the conversation???

[LibraLiz1973]

21. Not nearly as much as you!

:sarcasm:

[nichomachus]

13. We're not your research monkeys

That information is available on the web. Do a little digging before you ask other people to do the work for you. If you tried to find it and couldn't, then you can ask other people to help.

[MaineDem]

16. Wow.

Just wow.

[Labors of Hercules]

20. hate to say it...

but you sound just like a republican.

[LibraLiz1973]

23. My thoughts exactly.

[LibraLiz1973]

22. GET A LIFE!!

Could you be more snarky and ridiculous? Did the OP ASK you to be a "research Monkey"? No, I don't think so.
People are ALLOWED to ask questions. You have a right to be a snarky asshole back, but you should realize that some people may see you for what you are- someone who thrives on creating conflict.

Get a life.

[southpaw]

6. Nice...

If you don't want to help, just don't answer at all.

[nichomachus]

15. Bull

People who post things like this are just lazy. The information is out there. All they have to do is google it -- but they want other people to do the work.

[southpaw]

19. So you feel compelled to tell them so?

Are you the official DU laziness czar?

Asking for interactive answers to political questions is part of the reason to participate in an online message board.

[LibraLiz1973]

25. This person is not participating in this board to be helpful or to raise the discourse

He's here to be rude and obnoxious.

[LibraLiz1973]

24. You are ridiculous.

Get a life.

[scheming daemons]

2. Governors appoint replacements to complete their terms.....

In Biden's case, he'll be sworn into the Senate on January 3rd... then immediately resign. The Governor of Deleware will appoint a replacement to serve Biden's 6-year term.

In Obama's case, the Governor of Illinois will appoint someone to serve the final 2 years of Obama's term.

[MaineDem]

9. Delaware law:

Whenever a vacancy shall happen by death, resignation or otherwise in the office of Senator from this State in the Senate of the United States, the Governor may make a temporary or ad interim appointment from among the qualified electors of this State of some person to fill such vacancy until the same shall be filled at the next ensuing general election in the manner prescribed by law. The office of such temporary appointee shall terminate upon the election, under this title, of a Senator from this State in the Senate of the United States to fill the vacancy. (Code 1915, § 1890; 28 Del. Laws, c. 101; Code 1935, § 2009; 15 Del. C. 1953, § 7321.)

---

Looks like it's only until the next election, not the expiration of Biden's term.

[LynneSin]

31. That's standard for most replacement senators

They are only appointed until the next major election cycle (even years) and then they have to run again. And then they still have to run again when the term would naturally end.

Take Mel Carnahan, former governor of Missouri who was killed in a plan crash a few weeks before his campaign against John Ashcroft for the senate seat in Missouri. Carnahan was kept on the ticket because it was too late to replace him AND he beat out incumbant Ashcroft. This was all in 2000. His wife Jean was picked as Mel's replacment for US Senate.

In 2002 Jean had to run again to keep the seat for the remaining part of the term and lost out to Jim "NO" Talent.

In 2006, which the term would have technically ended for the orginal senator (Mel C.), Jim Talent had to run again and this time he lost to Claire McCaskill.

[MaineDem]

11. Illinois Law:

Sec. 25‑8. When a vacancy shall occur in the office of United States Senator from this state, the Governor shall make temporary appointment to fill such vacancy until the next election of representatives in Congress, at which time such vacancy shall be filled by election, and the senator so elected shall take office as soon thereafter as he shall receive his certificate of election.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 2, p. 1.)

[Jersey Devil]

18. He will probably resign BEFORE January 3rd

so that the new senator appointed to serve until the election of Nov 09 will get a jump on seniority over all other new senators in the new congress, having served in the previous congress.

[MaineDem]

3. Off the top of my head....

Governors appoint a temporary replacement until a new election is held. It may be the next scheduled election or a special, depending on the state.

Now I'll look it up. :)

[Red Knight]

8. Thanks nt

nt

[Clio the Leo]

5. They are sent to the Smithsonian...

.... sorry, couldn't resist. :)

[chicagoexpat]

12. Speculation over who would get Biden's seat...

Speculation over who would get Biden's seat...

http://loomisnews.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/who-replaces-biden/

The Illinois party might plan on naming Jesse Jackson, Jr., to Obama's seat. Mayor Daley in particular likes to preempt people who might challenge him for the mayor's seat. White control over the city is still of preeminent importance in Chicago among white Democrats, just see what happened to Mayor Harold Washington.

[LynneSin]

29. I think it would not be wise to pick Beau as Joe's replacement

Beau barely won his election for Attorney General mainly because people thought he didn't have enough experience AND they thought he was running on Dad's name. Don't get me wrong, Beau is a great AG but to give him the job simply because he's a Biden could affect him when he has to run for the seat in 2010. Delaware may be a blue state but we are also a state that elects Mike Castle each year as our sole US Representative and only republican who is successful in this state. I think if you put a weak candidate in that senate seat you could see Castle making a move to US Senate in 2010

The smart money is on John Carney since he is the current Lt. Governor and loser from the Carney v. Markell primary we just had.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

17. Illinois

my bet is on Rahm Emmanuel to take Barack's seat.

[qwlauren35]

26. He seems a bit pro-war.

He vocally supported Bush's attack on Iraq. Sorry, that makes me VERY uncomfortable.

I'd like to see Jackson, Jr., but I know that would be "racial appeasement".

[olkaz]

27. Ick.

That's no good at all. It would be nice (but will never happen) if our completely inept governor appointed somebody OUTSIDE of Chicago.

[WeDidIt]

32. Maybe Lisa Madigan

though Blagojevich and the Madigans have never got along.

[AllentownJake]

28. Well here is the short list of contenders for Obama's seat

Exclude the guys with the (r) after their name
http://illinoischannel.org/CongressionalDelegation.htm

Anyone know anything about Luis Gutierrez. His bio makes him sound like Barack's kind of guy.

[rvablue]

30. Goverrnors pick a replacement.