WP: Next Year's Senate Races Giving Both Parties Reason To Worry [View All]

[CShine]

As Republicans and Democrats struggle to complete their lineup of candidates for next year's Senate elections, the two parties have a common set of problems: missed opportunities, bad luck and self-inflicted wounds that dim their hopes for significant gains.

In at least a half-dozen states, Republicans have failed to recruit their first choices -- and sometimes their second or third picks -- for races against potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbents. And, in Illinois, where a GOP-held seat is at stake, former governor Jim Edgar and others resisted White House pressure to run, bolstering Democratic chances for a gain.

In at least three states where Republicans once had high hopes, Democratic Sens. Harry M. Reid (Nev.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Byron L. Dorgan (N.D.) appear to be on the road to reelection because potentially strong GOP challengers -- Rep. Jim Gibbons (Nev.), Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former North Dakota governor Ed Schafer -- declined to run.

The Democrats have also had some recruiting disappointments. But their gravest problem is the retirement -- or possible retirement -- of incumbents in the increasingly Republican South, where the GOP swept open-seat races in 2002. So far, three Democratic incumbents -- Zell Miller (Ga.), Ernest F. Hollings (S.C.) and presidential contender John Edwards (N.C.) -- have decided against running for reelection. Two others, John Breaux (La.) and Bob Graham (Fla.), another presidential candidate, have not announced decisions.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10701-2003Sep14.html