Senate Campaign News!

Yes, with around 650 days until the next election, there's no reason not to do a roundup of Senate campaign news!!!

• KY-Sen: Dan Mongiardo, the Lieutenant Governor who nearly knocked off Jim Bunning in 2004, will seek the seat again in 2010. Bunning, who compared Mongiardo to Saddam Hussein in 2004 because he has olive skin, is being begged to retire by the GOP leadership and can't raise any money. I think Mongiardo would beat him pretty badly, but we'll see if Bunning takes the hint.

• IL-Sen: Roland Burris, who by the way is responsible for Barack Obama's Presidency, should draw a primary challenge in 2010, and the opponent could be an Obama ally:

One of President Obama’s close friends and basketball buddies is considering a campaign against Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) in the Democratic primary.

Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is holding conversations with leading Illinois Democrats in preparation for a possible candidacy, according to a Democratic operative familiar with his decision-making process.

“He’s been talking to a lot of Democrats in Illinois who believe that this seat is gone is if Burris is the nominee. If it’s Mark Kirk or a rich Republican, we’ve got to hold this seat. That’s enough to encourage him to take a very serious look,” said the operative.

At 32, Giannoulias has been on the fast track in Illinois politics since leaving his job as a bank vice president to run for state treasurer in 2006. Inspired by Obama’s Senate campaign, he ran against the Democratic candidate backed by the party establishment and, aided by Obama’s endorsement, prevailed.

Burris and really all of these Senate appointees should get a primary challenge. If they're worthy of representing the people of their state they ought to earn it.

• CO-Sen: Interesting profile on Michael Bennet, the youngest member of the Senate who's been sleeping at his mom's house while setting up shop in Washington. He's kind of a blank slate, and I hope he gets a primary challenge as well, but something tells me that this guy can weather the uncertainty. Universally the reaction to him is that he's smart, which is something you don't hear about many Senators and which may just be enough.

...Colorado's Attorney General John Suthers, the only statewide office holder in the Rocky Mountain State, just declined the option of running against Bennet in 2010. That'll make it easier both for Bennet to win or for a Democratic challenger to primary him.