2008 Senate Races- Democrats First Glance

DEMOCRATS

Arkansas- The only way this becomes a race is if Mike Huckabee drops out of the Presidential race and runs against Pryor. After his second place finish in the Iowa straw poll, the former Governor is licking his chops and probably looking for a VP slot. Pryor has little to worry about other than Huckabee. Democrats hold every statewide office and three of the four House seats. Favors Democrat

Delaware- Even if Joe Biden does get the Democratic nod, whoever runs in his place will win on his coattails, and even if Biden retires, unless Mike Castle runs for the seat, it will likely stay in Democratic hands. Biden will probably run though. Solid Democrat

Illinois- Durbin is probably the safest Senator up next year. Solid Democrat

Iowa- Tom Harkin has always weathered strong opposition and managed to pull out victories. His three opponents in his three reelection campaigns have all been popular Republican Congressmen from various parts of the state. He may face another again; Tom Latham or Steve King. If he can beat Jim Ross Lightfoot and Tom Tauke, he could beat Latham or King in a Democratic year. Favors Democrat

Louisiana- This should be an easy pickup for the Republicans, but the state's GOP House delegation have all passed on the race. Bobby Jindal is running for, and will probably be, governor, while Richard Baker, Jim McCrery, Rodney Alexander and Charles Boustany are all running for reelection to their House seats. Democratic State Treasurer John Kennedy is being recruited to change parties and run, but he denies that he will. Unless Secretary of State Jay Dardenne gets into the race, Landrieu will be able to keep her seat…and if she does, it will be on pure luck. Slight Lean Democrat

Massachusetts- The people of the Bay State may be a little peeved at their junior Senator, but they're not going to replace him with a Republican. Solid Democrat

Michigan- This should be a race, but nobody is running. Rep. Candice Miller is probably waiting to run for Debbie Stabenow's seat in 2012. If Stabenow couldn't be beat, the chair of the Armed Services Committee sure can't. Solid Democrat

Montana- After Conrad Burns' loss last year, Republicans want to defeat Max Baucus. Congressman Dennis Rehberg is not running. The only candidate is former State House Majority Leader Michael Lange. Baucus is going to be helped by the reelection of popular Governor Brian Schweitzer. Favors Democrat

New Jersey- If the GOP couldn't defeat Bob Menendez, and that wasn't even close, they can't beat Frank Lautenberg or whichever Democrat decides to replace him. The Garden State is out of reach for the GOP right now. Favors Democrat

Rhode Island- The second coming of Lincoln Chafee couldn't beat Jack Reed. Go ahead, Governor Carcieri, give it a try, amuse us. Solid Democrat

South Dakota- Tim Johnson's illness may actually be a blessing in disguise (if that's possible.) Governor Mike Rounds would've defeated him, he's not running now. Johnson should win a close race, but if he were to retire, Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin would win a close race. Lean Democrat

West Virginia- Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito or Secretary of State Betty Ireland, other than that, Rockefeller is going to cruise for reelection. Capito would be the strongest candidate, but her House seat is shaky. Interesting note; her father defeated Rockefeller for Governor in 1972 and lost to him for the same office in 1980. Solid Democrat

LA-Sen: Republican Fail Again

The GOP has failed yet again to put up a strong challenger to the most vulnerable Democrat in the US Senate, Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana)

Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy, a Democrat bein recruited by the Republicans to switch parties, will not run next year, but will run again for State Treasurer...as a Democrat.

The GOP has failed to convince all of the state's Republican House members to run (Bobby Jindal is already running for Governor.)

Also not running; Republican Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, 2002 candidate Suzanne Haik Terrell and 1996 candidate Woody Jenkins. The GOP's only hope, other than Kennedy changing his mind, may be for Jindal to loose the Governor's race this year and run for Senate instead. Polls show Landrieu would virtually have no change against Jindal.

Will Vitter Resign? No Way

David Vitter made it a point to attack Bill Clinton for not resigning over the Monica Lewinsky affair.

Vitter was elected to the House of Representatives to replace former Congressman Bob Livingston (R-Louisiana) in 1999 after Livingston, elected to replace Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House, resigned after admitting an affair. Vitter applauded Livingston's resignation and said this;

So why hasn't Vitter, who all but confirmed he had strayed from his marriage, decide to resign and why isn't anyone pushing him too?

Well, first of all, it is important to remember that there hasn't been any official confirmation that Vitter had an affair or slept with any prostitutes. All that is known is that Vitter's phone number is on the phone records of a company accused of being a prostitution ring and Vitter admitted he ha committed a "serious sin" in his past that he and his wife had worked through. Putting two and two together can spell it out pretty clearly.

Already, some Louisiana Republicans are demanding Vitter step down. Louisiana Republican State Central Committeeman Vincent Bruno called on Vitter to resign "for his own good, the good of the party and the good of his family." Bruno said that if leaders of the Republican Party are not going to enforce the family values and morality they preach on themselves, then they "should take it out of the vocabulary."

It isn't even just the fact he had an extramarital affair, which most people, including myself, can overlook. It's the fact that he may have had one with a prostitute (which is illegal,) all the while he was preaching family values. Hypocrisy is much worse than immorality in my book. If he should step down for anything, it should be because of his hypocrisy, which makes him untrustworthy and puts to question his judgment and sincerity.

So why wouldn't Vitter step down?

Louisiana would need a new Senator immediately. The new Senator would be appointed by Louisiana's Governor, Kathleen Blanco, who is in office for another six months. Blanco is a Democrat and is free to choose anyone she wishes (unlike in Wyoming where Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal was forced to appoint a Republican to fill the late Republican Craig Thomas' Senate seat.) Blanco would likely appoint a Democrat, and one who can win statewide in a special election, likely next November. That would increase the Democrats' slim majority to 52-48 and make it easier for them to defend their majority come 2008 when 22 Republican Seats are up.

Republican leaders may not be pleased with what Vitter has done, or is assumed to have done, but they can't loose one more Senate seat with Republican peeling off on issues like the Iraq war one by one.