Running for Senate and President

[Padfoot]

Senators Biden, Hagel, and Kerry are all currently being talked about as possible Presidential candidates and are all up for re-election in the Senate in 2008.  Should they choose to run in their party's Presidential primary will they be allowed to run in the Senate primaries as well?  I know that this is an option in some states but I'm not sure which ones.  (The states in question would be Delaware, Massachusetts, and Nebraska).

In addtition, Senators Brownback, Clinton, Dodd, McCain, and Obama are not up for re-election but are all considered 2008 Presidential hopefuls.  Should one (or two with a VP) of them win in the general, how and when would they be replaced in the Senate?  Governor appointment or special election?

[CPT MikeyMike]

I believe in MA, you can not be on the ballot twice. Thus Kerry could not run for both President and Senator in '08.

His chances are slim to nil so it won't be anything to worry about.

[jimrtex]

Senators Biden, Hagel, and Kerry are all currently being talked about as possible Presidential candidates and are all up for re-election in the Senate in 2008.  Should they choose to run in their party's Presidential primary will they be allowed to run in the Senate primaries as well?  I know that this is an option in some states but I'm not sure which ones.  (The states in question would be Delaware, Massachusetts, and Nebraska).

In addtition, Senators Brownback, Clinton, Dodd, McCain, and Obama are not up for re-election but are all considered 2008 Presidential hopefuls.  Should one (or two with a VP) of them win in the general, how and when would they be replaced in the Senate?  Governor appointment or special election?

Presidential primaries are generally treated as being totally independent from elections for political office - they are selecting delegates to a convention of a private organization.

My understanding is that Texas is unusual in permitting a candidate to to run for President or Vice President and other office in the general election (both LBJ and Lloyd Bentsen did so).   In other states, the political party could likely choose a new nominee.

There are of course political issues with someone running for re-election as Senator while running for President (are they fulfilling their role as Senator, or are they really committed to becoming President).

[Fritz]

The only example of this I'm aware of was Joe Lieberman running for Vice-President and for re-election to the Senate in 2000.  As I recall, there was some unusual set of laws in Connecticut that allowed him to do this.

Kind of lame, really; he was more or less conceding that his ticket couldn't win the Presidential race, and needed a backup plan.

[Reaganfan]

The only example of this I'm aware of was Joe Lieberman running for Vice-President and for re-election to the Senate in 2000.  As I recall, there was some unusual set of laws in Connecticut that allowed him to do this.

Kind of lame, really; he was more or less conceding that his ticket couldn't win the Presidential race, and needed a backup plan.

That's because Bush had a small to sizeable lead in almost all polls throughout much of the campaign. I remember watching NBC News just about every night during the height of the campaign, and a picture of both Bush and Gore would come on the screen, and one would go to the top of the screen, the other to the bottom. I remember seeing it many times, and only once remember Gore going to the top.

As we know today, those polls were correct.

[Padfoot]

The only example of this I'm aware of was Joe Lieberman running for Vice-President and for re-election to the Senate in 2000.  As I recall, there was some unusual set of laws in Connecticut that allowed him to do this.

Kind of lame, really; he was more or less conceding that his ticket couldn't win the Presidential race, and needed a backup plan.

That's because Bush had a small to sizeable lead in almost all polls throughout much of the campaign. I remember watching NBC News just about every night during the height of the campaign, and a picture of both Bush and Gore would come on the screen, and one would go to the top of the screen, the other to the bottom. I remember seeing it many times, and only once remember Gore going to the top.

As we know today, those polls were correct.

Not exactly.  Gore did win the popular vote, remember?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Lieberman was an total ass for running for both positions. If the rightful winner of the 2000 Presidential election had been sworn in, Lieberman's decision would have most likely cost Democrats control of the Senate. By running for both, Lieberman was sending the message that he wasn't expecting Gore to win, which undermined Gore.

[CPT MikeyMike]

Lieberman was an total ass for running for both positions. If the rightful winner of the 2000 Presidential election had been sworn in, Lieberman's decision would have most likely cost Democrats control of the Senate. By running for both, Lieberman was sending the message that he wasn't expecting Gore to win, which undermined Gore.

With that being said, do you think Lloyd Benson should not have run for VP and US Senate in '88?

[AndrewTX]

Lieberman was an total ass for running for both positions. If the rightful winner of the 2000 Presidential election had been sworn in, Lieberman's decision would have most likely cost Democrats control of the Senate. By running for both, Lieberman was sending the message that he wasn't expecting Gore to win, which undermined Gore.

With that being said, do you think Lloyd Benson should not have run for VP and US Senate in '88?

 Or Johnsons running for re-election in 1960?

[Verily]

The only example of this I'm aware of was Joe Lieberman running for Vice-President and for re-election to the Senate in 2000.  As I recall, there was some unusual set of laws in Connecticut that allowed him to do this.

Kind of lame, really; he was more or less conceding that his ticket couldn't win the Presidential race, and needed a backup plan.

That's because Bush had a small to sizeable lead in almost all polls throughout much of the campaign. I remember watching NBC News just about every night during the height of the campaign, and a picture of both Bush and Gore would come on the screen, and one would go to the top of the screen, the other to the bottom. I remember seeing it many times, and only once remember Gore going to the top.

As we know today, those polls were correct.

Actually, they were all but one dead wrong. Gore won the popular vote, which is what the polls were counting. Only if the polls somehow measured the electoral vote would they have been correct.