In 2008 there are 33 Senators up for election: 21 are Republicans, 12 are Democrats.
Dems:
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
John Kerry (D-MA)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Joe Biden (D-DE)
John Rockefeller (D-WV)
Republicans:
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Wayne Allart (R-CO)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Larry Craid (R-ID)
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
James Inhofe (R-OK)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
John Sunun (R-NH)
John Warner (R-VA)
Warner is going to retire, and be replaced by former governor Mark Warner (D-Va)
Stevens may be vulnerable. Dole should be. Who else?
Pete Domenici will be 76 in 2008. A possible opponent — Tom Udall, who was re-elected to his House seat today with more than 70% of the vote.
Coleman and Sununu might be vulnerable.
Given how close N.H. was when Sununu won the first time, given what happened in the House races in N.H. last night, and given the improprieties in what the Republicans did to the Dems in N.H. on Election Day when Sununu won, I’d put him on the top of the list…
There doesn’t seem to be a single vulnerable Democratic seat on that list. Meanwhile, the following GOP seats are vulnerable (alphabetical order):
Wayne Allart (R-CO) blue state
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) defeated Cleland with despicable campaign
Norm Coleman (R-MN) blue state
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) incompetent
Pete Domenici (R-NM) if he retires
Gordon Smith (R-OR) blue state
Ted Stevens (R-AK) possible retirement
John Sununu (R-NH) blue state
John Warner (R-VA) possible retirement
Split the possible pickups and it gives Dems a 55-45 advantage. Sweep and we get a filibuster-proof majority (pipe dream).
`(1) UNLAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT- (A) The term `unlawful enemy combatant’ means–
`(ii) a person who, before, on, or after the date of the enactment of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, has been determined to be an unlawful enemy combatant by a Combatant Status Review Tribunal or another competent tribunal established under the authority of the President or the Secretary of Defense.
All of the Repugnicans up for reelection is 2008 voted for the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which should be known as the “Kill the Constitution Act”.
Additionally, Dumbocrats Johnson (SD), Pryor (AR), Landrieu (LA), Lautenberg (NJ) & Rockefeller (WV) voted for this travesty and attack on the constitution.
This ACT provides the authority for the President of the U.S. to start ‘disappearing’ people, just like in the good old days of Negropointe in Guatemala and Kissinger in Chile.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT NOBODY WHO VOTED FOR THIS ABOMINATION SHOULD BE REELECTED, Rethugnican or Dumbocrat!
Here is my take on 2008 –
Ted Stevens-R AK – This guy is about two terms past retirement.
Wayne Allard-R Co – It is going to be tough for him to keep this seat. Mark Udall will probably take this seat, unless the Ds play cut throat in the primary and drain Udall’s war chest. Look for the ever-popular Mark Udall to take this seat.
Saxby Chambliss-R Ga – How nasty can he get? You think that Tennessee was bad? This guy is the nastiest and will do anything to keep this seat. Will the voters of Georgia let him get away with this? Probably – the Rs will keep this seat and the voters of Georgia will need to take responsibility for sending him back to Washington.
Richard Durbin-D Il – If he avoids “Allen-izing” (a term I just made up for squandering a safe Senate race) his campaign, Durbin keeps this seat. If he aligns with Obama, Illinois remains BLUE on this one.
Tom Harkin-D Ia – Does Harkin get stupid and try to run for President? If he does, he gives up a safe D seat and then leaves public service a loser. Maybe a chairmanship in the 110th will keep his mind on “just staying put.” This is a no-brainer if Harkin runs for reelection.
Pat Roberts-R Ks – I wonder if Roberts will retire. Kansas voters may surprise us and send a Democrat to Washington. If Roberts runs again, this one stays with the Republicians.
Mary Landrieu-D La – If the Ds are smart and give her a chairwomanship, she keeps this seat. Don’t get me wrong, she will fight to keep this seat. If the Ds are smart, let Landrieu take some credit for getting Katrina restoration money down to the bayou and Louisiana voters return Landrieu. Cochran in Mississippi may want to watch this – if the Ds float a boat-load of money down South, he may be in trouble unless he can take some credit.
Susan Collins-R Maine – If Maine voters remember, Collins promised in her 2000 campaign that she would only serve in the US Senate for two terms. I just counted eight years on my fingers and that means that she walks in 2008. If she lied to the Maine voters and runs for reelection, the Ds slam her. Now here is a twist. Collins is very popular in Maine, but do voters reelect her after she campaigned on “two terms only” or do they send her back to Washington? We’ll see how quiet the Senate leadership can keep her in the 110th.
John Kerry-D Ma – He keeps the seat as long as he wants to UNLESS he gets stupid and gets his butt kicked running for President. If he walks (loses his bid to run for President), Massachusettes will find another Bostonian to replace him. The Rs cannot win in Massachusettes – Kerry or not.
Carl Levin-D Mi – Can you say 76 years old? This may become a R seat if he retires. Michigan may elect anyone with a D after their name. Watch both Levin and Stabenow in the 110th – and maybe the Ds provide both with the opportunity to deal with the employment issue in Michigan. Otherwise, the Rs sneak this one out from the Ds.
Norm Coleman-R Mn – Can you say one term? This guy might as well be looking for work – but not as a Minnesota US Senator. Don’t let the “Minnesota is a Red state” band-wagon fool us – Coleman loses big and this one goes to the Ds.
Max Baucus-D Mt – Montana stays BLUE this year but I wonder how much money the Rs will throw at this race? Baucus is pretty popular in the Big Sky state. Unless the Rs can find some history of bad behavior, maybe an arrest or maybe he beat his wife, well Baucus keeps this seat.
Chuck Hagel-R Nb – Is he serious – is he really going to run for President? The Rs keep this seat no matter what but why would Hagel even think that he has a chance to become the Republician candidate for President? Well, he would probably take Nebraska in that race – –
John Sununu-R NH – Say bye-bye. He goes and maybe Jeanne Shaheen gets revenge? New Hampshire will go BLUE and Sununu finds another line of work.
Frank Lautenberg-D NJ – This guy will be 84 if he chooses to run for reelection. Funny, but didn’t the Ds have to BEG him to come out of retirement last time? New Jersey may be the 2008 Virginia but the Ds get this one. Watch Mendenez though – maybe we have TWO Senate races in 2008 if Mendenez gets removed for bad behavior.
Pete Domenici-R NM – He will be 76 in 2008. He runs for reelection, he will probably win. New Mexico has moved to the left and is actually pretty progressive. I wonder who the Ds will select to run against Domenici?? This is going to be one hellava expense race. To early to call.
Elizabeth Dole-R NC – She either runs for North Carolina governor or she retires. Either way is OK by me. Remember, NC kept electing Jessie Helms so Liddy will probably win. This seat stays R but Dole won’t be the candidate – or the progressive movement in NC slides one past the Rs.
Jim Inhofe-R Ok – He’ll be 73 in 2008. I can’t see this one going D but I have an inclination that JC Watt makes some noise and if he does, he will probably become the next Republician US Senator in Oklahoma.
Gordon Smith-R Or – If ever-popular former governor John Kitzhaber runs against him, the Ds become 100% BLUE. Kitzhaber is probably the only Democrat that can take Smith out.
Tim Johnson-D SD – OK, let me be the first to tell EVERYONE that Johnson won’t lose this seat – impossible. If the Rs want to flush a bunch of money down a rat hole, give it to any R wanting to run against Johnson. Ain’t gonna happen. Johnson keeps this seat unless he decides to get caught in some illegal activity – – but again, Johnson overwhelmingly keeps this seat. ‘Nuff said!!
Lamar Alexander-R Tn – Not sure if a certain Memphis-ian (did I say that right?) wants to take another stab at a Senate race but hell, this may be the race. Alexander-Ford becomes a dirty and nasty race but I think that Ford might send Senator Alexander back to Tennessee. Good luck Tennessee Dems in getting Ford to try again.
John Warner-R Va – Won’t run. I wonder if Virginia has any other Jim Webbs out there but the Rs won’t give this one up without a fight. Any thoughts of who runs in this race? Too early to call.
Jay Rockefeller-D WV – Don’t even go there. I think that Rockefeller owns West Virginia. Stays Democrat.
Anyway, any feedback will be great. Remember, there are ten other races that I did not mention but these are the ones that look promising.
Well, here is to a productive 110th Congress. If the Dems lead, they will be rewarded with more takes in 2008. If they screw up, I see RED!