It's very rare when TWO Senate seats in the same state are contested the same year..be curious to know when it last happened...we would get a new SJC chair...
Can't remember the year off-hand, but it happend in California. We got Feinswine and BoxedEars.
It happened right here in California in 1992. You want to talk puke parade, Box-of-Dirt and Whineswine holding hands declaring it the "Year of the Woman."
If I remember correctly, Tennessee had two in 1994. One at its regular time, and the other to replace Gore's last two (I think) years. It's when we elected Frist and Fred Thompson.
CA elected Boxer and Feinstein in the same year, when then Senator Pete Wilson, was elected Governor of CA... the term of his replacement (appointee) expired, and thus the same year election of two US senators.
I do not know when the last time it happened. I imagine it may have though.
As for the new SJC Chair, I belive John Kyl is next in line. Heck, I wanted him to chair it since before this session started.