Looking at the 2008 Senate races

[oberliner]

When you're a political junkie, it's never too early to begin speculating about the next election. Since I clearly fit this category, I'm going to start speculating about 2008 even though the Congress just elected has not taken office yet. However, since I already wrote about the 2008 presidential elections last month, I want to instead focus today on the U.S. Senate elections in 2008 - in particular the Senate election in Minnesota.

The Senate in 2008 will be much more promising for Democrats than it was in 2006. Despite winning the Senate three weeks ago, it is easy to forget that it was not an easy year for Democrats. Democrats were defending 18 seats while Republicans were defending 15. This meant that for Democrats to take control of the Senate in 2006, they would have to hold all of their seats while picking off Republicans in tough areas such as Virginia, Missouri and Montana. Democrats did both of these things, which is why they will now be in charge of the Senate.

http://www.mndaily.com/article.php?id=70037

[Bombtrack]

1. are you the author oberliner ? I hope not

Cause anyone who thinks Franken isn't a strong candidate is one out-of-touch motherfucker.

[Hippo_Tron]

2. GOP Retirements are KEY

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Campaign/111606.html

Collins, Warner, and even Cochran are promising possibilities in the case of retirement. If Cochran retires, Democrat Mike Moore can compete with almost any Republican for the seat. Domenici will be seeking re-election according to the article.

Allard, Coleman, and Sununu are going to be in for the fight of their lives. Chambliss and Inhofe might also be vulnerable.

Our only real potentially vulnerable incumbents are Johnson and Landrieu and their vulnerability depends on who challenges them. If Mike Rounds challenges Johnson it will be a race the same goes if Landrieu gets a decent challenger, possibly Charles Boustany. Lautenberg will probably retire and thus we'll be defending New Jersey again. But I think that we have a deep enough bench in NJ that the GOP will lose again.

[Awsi Dooger]

3. Chambliss, Inhofe and Cornyn are not vulnerable

How can we persistently laugh at the GOP for pursuing New Jersey, yet claim we have a chance at federal race success in Texas, Oklahoma or Georgia? Especially in a presidential year.

[Hippo_Tron]

4. I agree completely about Cornyn

Texas will get tired of the GOP eventually but 2008 ain't gonna be the year. Plus it's such a huge state that the advantage of incumbency fundraising is significantly magnified unless we can find a mega-millionaire to run against Cornyn. I don't forsee Chambliss or Inhofe being vulnerable but it's possible that we can give them a run for their money. Inhofe is so batshit insane that maybe even Oklahoma will be turned off by some of his views (yes I know they elected Tom Coburn in 2004). Chambliss is also a very long shot given that Georgia is trending red but you never know. Remember, this time last year George Allen was a safe incumbent.

As far as New Jersey goes, Kean Jr. has to have been damaged from losing to Menendez. If Lautenberg retires, Rob Andrews will wipe the floor with Kean Jr. What I'm more concerned about is Pallone getting the nomination over Andrews.

[JCMach1]

7. Inhofe will be! If the popular Dem Gov Brad Henry Runs...

Plus there is an outside chance he will retire.

[Greeby]

5. MIke Moore?

Now there's a GOP smear campaign that writes itself :eyes:

[Hippo_Tron]

6. The name is the only disadvantage

Mike Moore was the Attorney General of Mississippi for 16 years. He lead the prosecution on the state level against Tobacco in the 1990s which ended in a $246 billion settlement. He is the most popular politician in Mississippi. Had Lott decided to retire, he would have likely run for the seat this year and we'd have a Lieberman-proof majority. He might challenge Haley Barbour in 2007 but it's unlikely. Barbour seems to be about the only Republican in the country who has become more popular in the past two years. His approval was in the high 30's low 40's at the beginning of 2005 and then he gained 15 points after Katrina. He's now consistantly above 50%. Thus it seems that Moore's best bet is for Cochran to retire and to go for his vacant seat, which is somewhat likley considering he no longer chairs appropriations due to the Dem takeover.

Gene Taylor would also have a good shot but I don't think he's interested in running statewide especially since he's been in the House so long. Given his voting record in the House, Taylor would likely become the most hated Senator on DU if he were elected.

[terrya]

8. I think Minnesota is especially vulnerable.

I don't see Norm Coleman winning that seat again. This is NOT a spectaular Senator, not by any stretch of the imagination.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Progressives in Minnesota need to be united if they are going to defeat Coleman

I'm not one that believes that Democrats are entitled to Green votes but I think that they need to do everything in their power to make sure that people vote DFL instead of Green.