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Many New York Democratic insiders are privately speculating that if the Democrats face a Martha Coakley loss - or near-loss - in Massachusetts to GOPer Scott Brown in tomorrow's senate election, it increases the odds of a Harold Ford Jr. candidacy. The logic, several longtime Democratic strategists and insiders said, is that if Coakley loses such a blue state - and the seat held by Ted Kennedy, one of the senate's most liberal members, for nearly 50 years - then it spells trouble for other Dem incumbents in the fall. Rep. Charles Rangel, a firm Kirsten Gillibrand backer, dismissed any...

NEW YORK — "Are you a New Yorker?" It was the evening of Jan. 11, and Chris Matthews was on MSNBC asking what many in this city wanted to know about Harold Ford Jr. "I live in New York," the former Congressman from Memphis answered. "My wife and I plan to start and raise a family there. I pay taxes there, and once you pay taxes there, you feel like a New Yorker." "But are you a New Yorker?" Matthews pressed. "I am." "You're a New Yorker?" Matthews continued. "Say, 'I am a New Yorker.'" "I am a New Yorker,"...

Mayor John Hickenlooper announced his gubernatorial bid this afternoon, saying "I love Colorado every bit as much as I love Denver." Hickenlooper said his agenda is going to be about jobs... The packed news conference on the west side of the state Capitol attracted top Democratic leaders and Denver movers and shakers. Hickenlooper talked about being mayor and the measures he has helped push. "We went to the voters every single time so we could decide what kind of city they could live in," he said. Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter, whose unexpected decision to drop his re-election bid set off...

WASHINGTON — The White House made it clear on Monday that it opposed the prospect of Harold E. Ford Jr.’s running for the United States Senate in New York, even as Mr. Ford, the former Tennessee congressman, showed no signs of being deterred. The remarks from the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, were the first offered by the Obama administration since Mr. Ford said last week that he was seriously considering challenging Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in this fall’s Democratic primary. Mr. Gibbs said that the administration backed Ms. Gillibrand, who was appointed last January to fill the seat...

Harold Ford Jr. Weighs a Challenge to Gillibrand By MICHAEL BARBARO January 5, 2010 Encouraged by a group of influential New York Democrats, Harold Ford Jr., the former congressman from Tennessee, is weighing a bid to unseat Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in this fall’s Democratic primary, according to three people who have spoken with him. Mr. Ford, 39, who moved to New York three years ago, has told friends that he will decide whether to run in the next 45 days. The discussions between Mr. Ford and top Democratic donors reflect the dissatisfaction of some prominent party members with Ms....

Encouraged by a group of influential New York Democrats, Harold Ford Jr., the former congressman from Tennessee, is weighing a bid to unseat Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in this fall’s Democratic primary, according to three people who have spoken with him. Mr. Ford, 39, who moved to New York three years ago, has told friends that he will decide whether to run in the next 45 days. The discussions between Mr. Ford and top Democratic donors reflect the dissatisfaction of some prominent party members with Ms. Gillibrand, who has yet to win over key constituencies, especially in New York City....

Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) is expected to endorse Joe "In The Navy" Sestak, Monday, in his bid to unseat fellow Democrat Arlen Specter as senator from Pennsylvania, according to The Hill.

ALBANY — City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., weighing his options in the wake of a surprisingly close loss in the mayoral race, is seriously considering challenging Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand in next year’s primary elections, according to people who have spoken to Mr. Thompson and his advisers. Challenging Senator Gillibrand is one of three options being mulled by Mr. Thompson and his advisers. He is also considering a run against the state comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, in the primaries, or returning to the private sector for now and running again for mayor in 2013. With the primary 10 months...

The body is not even cool yet. Hell, the election hasn't even happened yet, and the Democrats are already trying to figure what went is going to go wrong. Now this is my kind of campaign. Some may remember that Clinton White House Hotelier and Barista Terry McAuliffe ran for Virginia governor this year and lost in the primary to Creigh Deeds. Deeds had 50% of the vote with McAuliffe at 26% and Brian Moran at 24%. The New York Times thinks that maybe the Virginia Democrats drew the short straw with Deeds.

After weeks of speculation and buzz, it was reported this morning in the Houston Chronicle newspaper that Farouk Shami has announced he is running for the Democratic nomination of governor of the state of Texas. In an exclusive interview in the September issue of MODERN SALON, Farouk hinted at the possibility. When MODERN Editor in Chief Laurel Smoke asked about rumors surrounding Shami’s political ambitions, he answered, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” A few weeks ago, Shami hosted thousands of guests, including current Texas governor Rick Perry and Houston Mayor Bill White, for the ribbon cutting of CHI USA, a...

By FREDRIC U. DICKER, STATE EDITOR ALBANY -- Gov. Paterson gets more grim political news today, as another statewide poll shows Attorney General Andrew Cuomo trouncing him by 4 to 1 in a hypothetical primary match next year. Democrats, by nearly 2 to 1, said that New York's accidental governor doesn't deserve to be elected on his own...

After two terms as mayor of Seattle, Greg Nickels is now conceding.

Seattle (AP) - Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has been hailed as a visionary and a leader on environmental issues, helping persuade nearly 1,000 mayors around the country to abide by the standards of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. But an environmental issue of a more basic sort — the city's inability to clear streets during paralyzing snowstorms last winter — might have set the stage for his political undoing. Nickels narrowly trails two challengers following Tuesday's primary and is at serious risk of not advancing to the general election in November, potentially ending his eight-year run at City Hall....

Monaster/NewsRep. Carolyn Maloney Rep. Carolyn Maloney has decided to take on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the 2010 Democratic primary, refusing to bow to party leaders who want her to stay out, the Daily News has learned. "She's definitely decided to run," said a senior Maloney adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity. "She's in it." Maloney, a congresswoman since 1993 for Manhattan's East Side and a slice of Queens, will make an official announcement in two weeks, the adviser said. The Democratic establishment, led behind the scenes by Sen. Chuck Schumer, has cleared other would-be challengers from the primary field for...

State Senator Creigh (CREE) Deeds has won Virginia's Democratic primary for governor. Deeds beat former Clinton White House insider Terry McAuliffe and former state Democratic legislative leader Brian Moran on Tuesday. The victory sets up a Deeds rematch with Republican Bob McDonnell, who beat him in the 2005 attorney general election by 323 votes. McDonnell is a conservative with strong ties to religious broadcaster Pat Robertson. He was unopposed for the GOP nomination. Deeds was the only Democrat in the race not from the Washington, D.C., suburbs. Primary rivals criticized him for legislative votes supporting Virginia's broad, pro-gun laws, actions...

Va. Candidates Enter Homestretch of Tight Primary Race By Anita Kumar and Rosalind S. Helderman Washington Post Staff Writers Monday, June 8, 2009 The three men seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of Virginia continued their final push across the state today in the sprint before tomorrow's primary. Moran concluded his week-long "Fighting for Virginia" tour with a pre-election rally at Market Square in Alexandria. Deeds spent the day hosting get-out-the-vote rallies in Southside and Southwest including stops in Danville, Martinsville, Bristol and Roanoke. Tonight, he will head back to his Charlottesville campaign headquarters for a rally. McAuliffe started his...

State Sen. Creigh Deeds appears to be further separating himself from the other two contenders in the June 9 Democratic gubernatorial primary, according to a Public Policy Polling survey released two days before the election. A Democrat from rural Bath County, Deeds now holds a double-digit lead (40 percent) over rivals Terry McAuliffe (26 percent) and Brian Moran (24 percent) for the party nomination. The poll results follow a recent trend that has shown Deeds surging to the lead of the pack just weeks after earlier polls listed him third in the field. Deeds current lead is beyond the poll's...

If President Obama didn't have enough on his plate already, he's now thrust himself into the middle of a statewide race that has sparked growing resentment among some New York Democrats. It's rare for a president to inject himself into statewide politics and a host of New York political insiders with ties to several House Democrats say they're angry that Obama even got involved. "What? You can't have a primary? It's decided in backroom deals?" asked a source who spoke to FOX News on the condition of anonymity. "What if someone told Obama he couldn't have a primary and Hillary...

Another good video of Newt! Conservatives need to take over the Democrat primaries! Hey why not!? Sounds good to me!

Not all Pennsylvania Democrats are down with Arlen Specter. Though the party-switching senator has the support of President Obama and Gov. Ed Rendell, at least two potential candidates are leaving open the door to challenge Specter in the 2010 Democratic primary. Rep. Joe Sestak, who's been a prolific fundraiser, is considering defying party leaders and running against Specter despite Tuesday's hoopla, though he told FOXNews.com on Wednesday, "I have not made up my mind on it."