1.) Colorado (Ken Salazar - D): Republican Former Governor Bill Owens, who didn’t run in 2008 for the Senate, may run this time around, as might retired football quarterback, Republican John Elway, who hinted at a future run for office despite choosing not to run in 2008. The moment he wins the GOP nod, you can already start calling him “Senator Elway.” - Elway-Yes!
Owens-NO (Owens almost singlehandedly destroyed the state GOP the way Bush has done to national).
2.) California (Barbara Boxer - D): Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger should seek the seat, as he would be ineligible to run again in the Gubernatorial race due to term limits. He is the only hope of beating Boxer, and very well might.
I have no idea here, but we don’t need another RINO with all due respect.
3.) Arkansas (Blanche Lincoln - D): Former Governor Mike Huckabee, who was a 2008 presidential candidate, should be recruited very, very hard, since he remains a relatively well-liked figure.
Agreed, and not only is a Christian and Social conservative, but I believe his fiscal credentials go much deeper than some believe.
4.) Illinois (Obama’s old seat - TBD - D): The only man in Illinois who could win this seat has to talk his wife into letting him. Illinois demi-god Mike Ditka, a hardcore, Conservative Republican, would win this seat. We just have to convince Mike and Mrs. Ditka to run.
Agreed again, Mike would be great (and should have take Obama out before he rose to national promenence!)
5.) Indiana (Evan Bayh - D): If Bayh retires, Mike Pence could win this seat. If Bayh does not retire, he is unbeatable in Indiana.
Again I agree: Mike Pence has been a solid statesman and conservative bullwark in the House for a few years now..!
6.) Hawaii (Daniel Inouye - D): May retire - will win re-election if he does not. In the event of a retirement, the GOP should push monstrously hard for popular Governor Linda Lingle to run for Senate.
???? RINO?
7.) Nevada (Harry Reid - D): The Senate Majority Leader will seek a fifth term. In 2004, he was reelected with 61% of the vote. That year, Republicans did not put up a formidable challenger. Potential Republican candidates include former Governor Kenny Guinn, Representative Dean Heller, former Representative Jon Porter or 2004 candidate Richard Ziser. Guinn might be the strongest challenger to Reid but will be 74 in 2010, three years Reid’s senior. Porter had been viewed as the most likely to run as he had been interested since 2004 and been planning a run, but following his defeat for re-election to his House seat in 2008, he may no longer run.
???? Tough One..
8.) North Dakota (Byron Dorgan - D): Three term Senator Byron Dorgan may retire. He will be 68 years old in 2010. Dorgan, who represents the conservative state of North Dakota, may be vulnerable if he runs for reelection. Potential Republican candidates are Governor John Hoeven, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, and his brother, State Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem. All have very high approval ratings, including Dorgan. John Hoeven would win easily, and should be pushed HARD to run.
I dont’ know this state well..!
Sorry, dude. Huckster did to the AR GOP far worse than what Owens did to the CO GOP. Thanks to him, it may be a decade or more before we ever win a statewide office. The federal delegation shrank from 50% to 16.6% on his watch. He crippled the legislative numbers, which also shrank. He championed illegals, hiked taxes more than Clinton and RETAINED Clinton-Tucker Democrat government hacks (so many, in fact, that the incoming Dem Governor hardly fired anyone). All in all, Huckster was a DISASTER as Governor.