2008’s Senate races have taken more shape in recent weeks and months, with the entry of some challengers (Merkley, Rice) and the retirement of others (Hagel, Warner, Craig). But we’re still waiting on plenty of big names and lesser lights to announce their intentions. Here’s a list of the notable names that we’re waiting to hear from (and yes, some of these names are extremely unlikely to run):
Alaska: Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D); former AK House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz
Arkansas: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R); 2004 nominee Jim Holt (R); J. French Hill (R); Chuck Banks (R)
Delaware: Rep. Mike Castle (R)
Idaho: Lt. Gov. Jim Risch (R); state AG Lawrence Wasden (R); former state AG David Leroy (R); state Sen. Michael Jorgensen; state Sen. John McGee (R); former state Sen. Dane Watkins (R)
Iowa: Rep. Steve King (R); Rep. Tom Latham (R)
Louisiana: Treasurer John Kennedy (DR); Secretary of State Jay Dardenne (R); Rep. Jim McCrery (R); Woody Jenkins (R); Suzanne Haik Terrell (R)
Kansas: Former Rep. Jim Slattery (D); former Republican State House Speaker Joe Hoagland (D); Steve Boyda (D)
Kentucky: Charlie Owen (D); Andrew Horne (D); Rep. Ben Chandler (D); Bruce Lunsford (D); Larry Forgy (R)
Mississippi: Former state AG Mike Moore (D)
Nebraska: Former Gov. and Sen. Bob Kerrey (D); Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey (D); Scott Kleeb (if Kerrey and Fahey pass); former Gov. and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns (R); former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub (R)
New Hampshire: Former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D)
New Jersey: Anne Evans Estabrook (R); Joseph Pennacchio (R)
New Mexico: Gov. Bill Richardson (D); Rep. Tom Udall (D); state AG Patricia Madrid (D); former US Attorney John Kelly (D)
North Carolina: State Rep. Grier Martin (D); state Sen. Kay Hagan (D)
Oklahoma:State Sen. Kenneth Corn (D)
South Dakota: Gov. Mike Rounds (R); Dusty Johnson (R)
Tennessee : Mike McWherter (D); Bob Tuke (D); Mike Doherty (D); former Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D)
Virginia: Former Gov. Mark Warner (D); former Lt. Gov Don Beyer (D); former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R); Rep. Tom Davis (R)
Stumbo is still an exploratory committee, I’m sure he’ll run, but it isn’t official yet.
Kenneth Corn is no longer considering a bid against Inhofe
Quote:
“Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, said Thursday that he will not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. He said a race for the U.S. Senate is secondary to returning the split Oklahoma State Senate to Democratic control.”
Article: http://www.tulsaworl…
Tennessee:
Attorney Mike Doherty (considering)
Although from the sounds of it, if Mike McWherter decides for a run against Lamar Alexander, Mike Doherty and Bob Tuke will both decline to run.
Former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer is a Democrat. Although Mark Warner’s running so it’ll soon be a moot point.
Says this article here.
I’m hoping for his entry into the race.
So has Tom Udall and Ben Chandler. I would also take Mike Moore and Mike Castle off the list, and Estabrook I’m pretty sure has announced.
Delaware: Rep. Mike Castle (R)
That’s patently absurd. I guess you could clarify that this would only happen if Biden actually got the Democratic nomination for President, which itself is patently absurd. If Biden doesn’t get the nomination (and possibly even if he does), he’s running for re-election, he’s already started preparing for it. If Biden runs, Castle will not. Run. Against. Biden. Ever. Castle, Carper, and Biden are best friends who ride the train together. They are buddies. They won’t run against each other, nor oppose each other’s continuing incumbency by supporting the challenger from their own party. That’s Delaware for you. The Roth vs. Carper election was a once in a quarter-century exception, because Roth was too stubborn to retire when everyone knew he should have (and thus fell asleep during a debate).
Wasn’t there some serious question about Castle’s health not long ago? Between that and the prospect of giving up 16 years of House seniority (which puts him just ahead of all the ’94 Republicans), I have a hard time believing he’d be all that interested in a Senate run. He might lose, and if he wins he’ll be starting out again at the bottom of the ladder at an age when many senators are at least starting to consider retirement.
You forgot to add George Clooney who may come back home and sweep the filth of McConnell away.
While it seems likely that the Kennedy party switch was in anticipation of a Senate challenge to Landrieu is it possible that it may instead have to do with the Republican’s Vitter problem? Should Jindal win the Governor’s race and Vitter resign would Kennedy have a shot at being appointed? If he isn’t appointed wouldn’t it make more sense for him to run for the other seat? He could announce he is running for Senate but not announce that he is challenging Landrieu.
Is there some reason (aside from the veteran if scandal-tarred incumbents) that it’s taking so long to get well-known Democratic challengers in these two races? There are multiple possibilities in both cases. What’s with the delay?
Cardin’s old CD MD-3 was represented by the Maryland US Senate Delegation. Sarbanes and Mikulski represented MD-3.
Maryland and Delaware are both blue states. It is unlikely they will send a Republican to the US Senate especially in a pro Democratic Year.
And besides, the guy’s a fine actor who has yielded a lot of great flicks in recent years. Why take him out of action in his prime?
With two (2) seats up in 2008, Wyoming could still possibly see a Democratic challenger. Indeed, WY could see a nice, dirty, primary fight among the Repubs before the general election.
I know, I know. For a long time, Gov Dave said he would not challenge the incumbents, because as Gov he had a good long working relationship with them. Well, in one case that no longer applies, so is there wiggle room? Maybe. And Gary Trauner made a good race against the at-large House member last year. He could be tempted this time to go for a Senate seat, with two of them open in a Democratic year. I note that Trauner has left his website up, unchanged since just before election day 2006.
Harold Ford is definitely not running. He’s going to run for Governor in 2010. If he were running for Senate, he would have announced it by now.
If Mike McWherter decides to run, it’s not likely that either Tuke or Doherty would challenge him in a primary. Although McWherter was supposed to announce Labor Day weekend, so I don’t know what’s going on there. Doherty is a true progressive, I hope he runs.
http://www.DraftHorn…
Kentucky has suffered for too long with Mitch McConnell’s corporate cash fed brand of politics, and his shameful enabling of Bush’s failed policies. Next year, Senator Mitch McConnell will be running for reelection. This will be no easy race — anyone opposing Sen. McConnell will surely face some of the nastiest political attacks seen in our state.
Which is why it is so important that the Democratic Party put forth a candidate with impeccable character. A family man. An accomplished lawyer.
A man who has served this country with selfless courage in the battlefield, and carried that sense of duty back to the community he lives in.
We believe Andrew has the strength of character to challenge the incumbent, and to win.
If you believe as we do, that Andrew is the one potential candidate who can stand up to the GOP political machine, then please sign our petition. Our party does not need a contentious primary election. Several other deserving politicians have indicated their interest in running, however, if we generate enough grassroots support, we can show Andrew that he has a great chance at finally ditching Mitch.
If you support the troops, if you think members of Congress are more worried about saving their own skin than passing quality legislation supported by the majority of Americans, then put someone in office who has earned the right to be there. That person is Andrew Horne.
He’s earned it. Declare your support. Sign the petition.
( http://www.DraftHorn… )