2010 Senate retirements.

[Kevin]

I have a feeling there will be a least some retirements in 2010 on both sides. Also even though Senators like Dodd and Specter say that they are running again I have a good feeling they won't.

Here is my list of possible retirements in 2010

Republican
George Voinovich(R-OH)
Arlen Specter(R-PA)
Chuck Grassley(R-IA)
Bob Benett(R-UT)
Kit Bond(R-MO)
John McCain(R-AZ)

Democrats
Chris Dodd(D-CT)
Pat Leahy(D-VT)
Barbara Mikulski(D-MD)
Barbara Boxer(D-CA)

Any thoughts on this?

[Rococo4]

I have a feeling there will be a least some retirements in 2010 on both sides. Also even though Senators like Dodd and Specter say that they are running again I have a good feeling they won't.

Here is my list of possible retirements in 2010

Republican
George Voinovich(R-OH)
Arlen Specter(R-PA)
Chuck Grassley(R-IA)
Bob Benett(R-UT)
Kit Bond(R-MO)
John McCain(R-AZ)

Democrats
Chris Dodd(D-CT)
Pat Leahy(D-VT)
Barbara Mikulski(D-MD)
Barbara Boxer(D-CA)

Any thoughts on this?

I would say if McCain doesnt end up President, he will wont stay in his Senate seat much longer, I would doubt even until 2010....i thik he could stil step down before then to focus on the run.  He doesnt want to be Senator, he wants to be President. 

I wonder if Arnold running could effect Boxer's decison?  I doubt it, she is a tough fighter who would love to beat back Arnold.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Boxer would easily defeat Arnold. I think so many are forgetting that Arnold is not that popular, he just faced a horrible opponent.

[Deano963]

I have a feeling there will be a least some retirements in 2010 on both sides. Also even though Senators like Dodd and Specter say that they are running again I have a good feeling they won't.

Here is my list of possible retirements in 2010

Republican
George Voinovich(R-OH)
Arlen Specter(R-PA)
Chuck Grassley(R-IA)
Bob Benett(R-UT)
Kit Bond(R-MO)
John McCain(R-AZ)

Democrats
Chris Dodd(D-CT)
Pat Leahy(D-VT)
Barbara Mikulski(D-MD)
Barbara Boxer(D-CA)

Any thoughts on this?

You left out Sam Brownback, who is the only Republican so far who is definitely not seeking reelection in 2010, due to self-imposed term limits.

You left out Jim Bunning, who will most likely not seek reelection due to a combination of several factors - dim prospects for reeletion (ESPECIALLY if his opponent is Chandler), case of the crazies, bad approval ratings, and in general just being old and decrepit.

I hope George Voinovich retires, but I'm not sure that he will.

Barbara Boxer announced last month she will seek reelection in 2010. There is no reason to take her announcement as anything other than sincere.

Everyone else you listed is a definite retirement posibility.

[TheresNoMoney]

1) Sam Brownback has already stated that he will retire (I applaud him for keeping his term limits pledge).

2) Barbara Mikulski is expected by everyone to retire.

3) Barbara Boxer has already said she will run again.

4) Chris Dodd will almost definitely run again.

[AndrewTX]

Dodd won't run again. He already announced that he will retire in 2010.

 I'm almost positive Rep Rosa DeLauro will take that seat.

[TheresNoMoney]

Dodd won't run again. He already announced that he will retire in 2010.

He never said that. He hinted that he would run again.

[AndrewTX]

Indeed he did.

 Of course, it was just to allow himself to take the rest of his money that he raised in 2004 and put it to his new campaign. But still, I can hope he doesn't run.

[Kevin]

1) Sam Brownback has already stated that he will retire (I applaud him for keeping his term limits pledge).

2) Barbara Mikulski is expected by everyone to retire.

3) Barbara Boxer has already said she will run again.

4) Chris Dodd will almost definitely run again.

Boxer starting to get up there in age and I heard a rumor of her retiring and with Dodd I think he will retire I just have a feeling he is not going to run in 2010.   

[Kevin]

Dodd won't run again. He already announced that he will retire in 2010.

 I'm almost positive Rep Rosa DeLauro will take that seat.

There is plenty of Republicans statewide that woould be strong contenders for the seat too, Chris Shays, Jodi Rell, I could name many who could.   

[Kevin]

With Maryland I heard former Governor Bob Ehrlich may seek Mukulki's seat. If she does retire.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Any chance Michael Steele challenges Barbara Mikulski or her seat whether or not she retires?

When that list comes around again for 2016, hopefully we can add Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) due to self-imposed term-limits.  Really, I hope we don't have to wait that long to get him out of the Senate.  I hope he gets ousted in 2010.

[Kevin]

Any chance Michael Steele challenges Barbara Mikulski or her seat whether or not she retires?

When that list comes around again for 2016, hopefully we can add Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) due to self-imposed term-limits.  Really, I hope we don't have to wait that long to get him out of the Senate.  I hope he gets ousted in 2010.

Steele could his chances would be better this time around since I think that 2010 will be a Republican year, Especially if the Democrats do pick up the White House in 2008.

[Adlai Stevenson]

If Mikulski does retire in 2010, I sincerely hope the Democrats nominate an African-American for the Senate - either Kweisi Mfume or Anthony Brown.

[Kevin]

If Mikulski does retire in 2010, I sincerely hope the Democrats nominate an African-American for the Senate - either Kweisi Mfume or Anthony Brown.

I heard Chris Van Hollen wants this seat.

[Deano963]

With Maryland I heard former Governor Bob Ehrlich may seek Mukulki's seat. If she does retire.

Sarbanes Jr., Lt. Gov Brown, Van Hollen - hell, just about any Democrat would crush Ehrlich in a Senate race.

[Kevin]

With Maryland I heard former Governor Bob Ehrlich may seek Mukulki's seat. If she does retire.

Sarbanes Jr., Lt. Gov Brown, Van Hollen - hell, just about any Democrat would crush Ehrlich in a Senate race.

He stands a chance if it's a really bad year for the Democrats.

[Virginian87]

Any chance Michael Steele challenges Barbara Mikulski or her seat whether or not she retires?

When that list comes around again for 2016, hopefully we can add Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) due to self-imposed term-limits.  Really, I hope we don't have to wait that long to get him out of the Senate.  I hope he gets ousted in 2010.

Brad Henry for Senate!

[GOP = Terrorists]

1) Chriss Dodd will most likely run again and win vs token opposition.
2) Should for whatever reason he not run Richard Blumenthal is the new Senator from Connecticut.  Rell or Shays wouldn't even make it that close.

[Kevin]

1) Chriss Dodd will most likely run again and win vs token opposition.
2) Should for whatever reason he not run Richard Blumenthal is the new Senator from Connecticut.  Rell or Shays wouldn't even make it that close.

It seems like Blumenthal from what I've been hearing really has his eyes set on the Governor's Mansion, Not a Senate seat in Washington. 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I'd rather have Chris Murphy run for Governor so he can run for President later. He'd be an AWESOME candidate. I mean he's a guy more liberal than Kerry who beat one of the House's most liberal Republicans by 13 points in a district Kerry only won by less than half a point.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Any chance Michael Steele challenges Barbara Mikulski or her seat whether or not she retires?

When that list comes around again for 2016, hopefully we can add Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) due to self-imposed term-limits.  Really, I hope we don't have to wait that long to get him out of the Senate.  I hope he gets ousted in 2010.

Brad Henry for Senate!

[Adlai Stevenson]

2010 should be an interesting election because one would assume it will be the first midterm of a Democratic President - and probably the Republicans' best year since 2004. 

Paradoxically this will prevent from inflicting huge damage and defeats - the GOP maximised their gains in the South in 2004.  Thus potentially vulnerable Republican freshman Senators come up for re-election in 2010 - including Martinez in Florida, Burr in North Carolina, Bunning in Kentucky and Murkowski in Alaska.  I cannot think of a really obviously vulnerable Democrat - Lincoln in Arkansas potentially could be, but she won 56%-44% in 2004.

From a Democratic perspective, two Republican incumbent retirements in Ohio and Kentucky look hopeful - the Party would have two strong candidates in Congressmen Ben Chandler and Tim Ryan.  And even if Voinovich and Bunning do not choose to retire, neither of them is entrenched enough to preclude a strong challenge from either Chandler or Ryan.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I'd rather have Chris Murphy run for Governor so he can run for President later. He'd be an AWESOME candidate. I mean he's a guy more liberal than Kerry who beat one of the House's most liberal Republicans by 13 points in a district Kerry only won by less than half a point.

Whoa there, tiger!  Make sure he wins his 2008 race first.

[GOP = Terrorists]

It seems like Blumenthal from what I've been hearing really has his eyes set on the Governor's Mansion, Not a Senate seat in Washington. 

Naw his first choice is to be a Senator.  Always has been.  He has been pretty public about that.  We just have a problem of having those seats occupied.