February fundraising numbers have the DSCC crushing the NRSC in February, $4.8 million to $3.9 million, bringing the cash-on-hand to $32.8 million for the DSCC and just $15.3 million for the NRSC.
Things are not much better for the GOP on the Senate side, where Democrats feel confident of picking up retiring Republican John Warner's seat in Virginia and are campaigning hard for GOP seats being vacated in Colorado and New Mexico. Republicans have failed to recruit top-tier candidates to challenge Democratic senators in GOP-leaning Montana, South Dakota and Arkansas. ...
In the Senate, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner is a clear front-runner in the race for that state's open seat. And two Democratic House members named Udall - Mark in Colorado, Tom in New Mexico - are running well-financed campaigns for seats being vacated by Republicans Wayne Allard in Colorado and Pete Domenici in New Mexico.
Democrats also are waging strong Senate campaigns to oust Republican incumbents in New Hampshire, Minnesota, Alaska, Oregon and Maine.
It's not spin or media bias when Democratic candidates for Senate really are kicking this much butt.
Idaho: Two pieces of news transpired on the independent candidate front that may shave votes from the eventual Republican nominee and help Larry LaRocco. First, rancher Rex Rammell announced that he'll be leaving the Republican primary mix and filing for Senate as an independent. Remember that Rammell has a major bone to pick with presumptive Republican frontrunner Jim Risch. Having Rammell in the general as an independent taking shots at Risch, if Risch does win the GOP nomination, will be good times. Second, another independent candidate for Senate, formerly Marvin Richardson, has legally changed his name to "Pro-Life" and will appear as such on the ballot. Idaho wingers looking to vote for the candidate most committed to eliminating choice and privacy rights may check off the "Pro-Life" ballot line instead of the Republican line. All the while, Larry LaRocco is bringing it.
Kansas: Former Congressman Jim Slattery has a preliminary 2008 Senate campaign website up and running.
Rhode Island: Senator Jack Reed also has his preliminary 2008 Senate campaign website up and running.
West Virginia: Senator Jay Rockefeller also has his 2008 Senate campaign website up and running.
Wyoming: And there's more! Attorney Nick Carter also has a 2008 Senate campaign website up and running.
Oregon: While Barack Obama's potential coattails have been the basis of much discussion in recent weeks, in the Oregon Senate primary, comments about Obama himself are becoming an issue as Steve Novick finds himself having to defend some rather harsh commentary he's offered in the past against Obama. With Obama in Oregon in the next 48 hours, I expect this will become fodder for discussion in Novick's primary campaign against Speaker Jeff Merkley.
