What Happens To Senate Seats With Kerry/Edwards Ticket?

[Tacis]

If the democrats in Boston nominate Senator Kerry to be their Presidential candidate for the 2004 election and Kerry picks Senator Edwards to be his running mate, what happens to their Senate seats?

Would both have to resign their seats to run or does either state have a "Johnson" rule that allows a Senator to hold his seat (as LIEberman did in 2000) while running for another federal office?

Are either up for reelection as Senators in 2004? If either had to resign from the Senate to run, is he likely to be replaced by another dem or a good guy?

[Tacis]

Multi, multi-millionaire Kerry won't do well in most of the red zone. Edwards might help in the south. A Kerry/Edwards ticket might be a great way to get two very wealthy dems out of the Senate.

[ambrose]

Edwards is not running for re-election, Kerry's current term doesn't expire until 2008, and if he wins, the MA Republican Governor, Romney, would appoint his replacement.

[AmishDude]

Edwards is not running for re-election. (He would lose anyway.) I don't think Kerry's seat is up in 2004. The Dems don't need the South, they need Florida. If I were Kerry, I'd pick Bob Graham for Veep. Plus, as much as Edwards is holding back on negativity, it'll get nasty if this lasts too long.

[Quick Shot]

"Johnson" laws.... This is too much. Enough regulation, they can have my "Johnson" when they pry my dead, cold hands off it....

[Kuksool]

Kerry won Senate re-election in 2002. So the MA Senate is secure for Kerry unless he actually wins the White House this November. Edwards's Senate seat is up for re-election this year. However, the Breck Girl is not running for Senate re-election.

[Vigilanteman]

Only Republicans resign Senate seats to run for president (Barry Goldwater in 1964, Bob Dole in 1996). Democrats always cling to power and only if they are successful in achieving higher office will they resign (JFK-LBJ in 1960). If they don't win, they still have their senate seat (e.g. Lieberman in 2000). "Serving their constituents" is only an excuse for election in the first place. It is not, and never has been, a reason to resign to run for higher office.

One reason Little Tommy Daschle declined to run is because the South Dakota legislature passed a law forbidding the listing of the same candidate for more than one office. It would be the ultimate poetic justice if he loses his senate seat anyway.

[FReepaholic]

>>..."Johnson" laws.... This is too much. Enough regulation, they can have my "Johnson" when they pry my dead, cold hands off it....<<

LOL! I have some friends that work for a company called Johnson Controls.

I told them that I'd never apply there. I refuse to work for a company that controls your Johnson.

[Enterprise]

Remember that in the last election, Lieberman didn't give up his Senate seat to be the running mate of Gore. Same for Kerry. He won't give up his Senate seat to run for the Presidency. RATS do NOT give up power unless they HAVE to!

[Kuksool]

{If I were Kerry, I'd pick Bob Graham for Veep.}

Agreed. I was surprised how little traction Graham's White House run got. Graham's experience makes him a far more credible VP than Edwards. Graham is a 2-term Governor, 3-term Senator, and served on the Intelligence committee. But most of all, Graham on the VP could put FL in play for the RATS.

[Publius]

Only Republicans resign Senate seats to run for president (Barry Goldwater in 1964, Bob Dole in 1996).

Goldwater did not resign his Senate seat. He chose not to run for re-election in 1964. Republican Paul Fannin won Goldwater's seat.

Goldwater returned to the Senate in 1968 when he defeated retiring Sen. Carl Hayden's chief aide, Ray Ellis, who ran to succeed Hayden.

For the Republican convention in 1968, Goldwater piloted his private jet into town, made a speech and flew back to Arizona to campaign. His "People Power" speech at the 1968 Republican Convention was the best speech of his entire career.

[Vigilanteman]

Thanks for the correction, but minor difference. The point I was making is that Goldwater's run for higher office did not include clinging to his present office-- unlike Joe Lieberman who ran for re-election and vice-president at the same time. If Goldwater had more than three months left on his term, I have no doubt he would have done the same thing Bob Dole did. It would have been rather pointless to have the governor appoint a replacement senator for three months when most of congress was out of session campaigning for re-election anyway.

[JohnnyZ]

Enough regulation, they can have my "Johnson" when they pry my dead, cold hands off it....

Watch out, dude, you'll go blind . . .

[quietolong]

I still say look for Hellarey as the running mate.

[MainFrame65]

I think it was worse, actually. I believe that Lieberman ran for reelection to the Senate in the election of 2000, while simultaneously running for Vice President. As I recall, this is not prohibited by his state - but it ought to be.

[wildbill]

The perfect ticket from the Dems would be Dean/Graham.

You could call it the "double dementio' ticket.

[alwaysconservative]

Does the fact that Graham is a certifiable nutjob have anything to do with his not getting far? Please, please, let's hear more about the "diaries"! Come to think of it, they're ALL idiots, stupid, arrogant, and completely void of new ideas.