Just weeks after 2010 election, Republicans lining up for 2012 Senate races

[onehandle]

Source: Washington Post

The 2012 presidential race may be off to a slow start - not a single Republican has announced his (or her) intentions to run - but aspiring GOP pols are falling all over themselves to get into Senate races nationwide. Last week, former Missouri state treasurer Sarah Steelman became the latest to make an early leap into the candidate pool when she announced her intention to challenge Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) in nearly two years. "We need jobs - urgently. We need to balance the budget - urgently," she said. "We have to fight if we're going to save this country for our kids and grandkids. There is no time to wait."

Another factor in Steelman's quick candidacy was the looming presence of Jim Talent (R), who lost his seat to McCaskill in 2006 and has been pondering a rematch ever since. Those close to the former senator say he is likely to decide by January, which, in most other election cycles, would be extremely early to make such intentions known. Missouri is not the only state where the Senate race is starting fast.

In Nebraska, the state's attorney general, Jon Bruning (R), joined the race against Sen. Ben Nelson (D) just three days - yes, you read that right - after the 2010 election. (Bruning's announcement followed the decision by Gov. Dave Heineman, a Republican, not to challenge Nelson.) "Incumbents have incredible built-in advantages, especially when it comes to raising money," Bruning told the Fix regarding his decision to announce so early. "We will never raise as much money as Senator Nelson but had to get started early to compete."

In Florida, state Senate President Mike Haridopolos (R) is all but in the race against Sen. Bill Nelson (D). He visited Washington last week to make his intentions clear. The Florida GOP race is already getting testy. Sen. George LeMieux (R) - the outgoing caretaker of the seat vacated by Mel Martinez - is another possible candidate for Nelson's seat. A top aide of LeMieux's drew attention when she tweeted a link to an article that detailed mistakes Haridopolos made when filing his personal financial disclosure forms.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/05/AR2010120504186.html

[butterfly77]

1. If I were in that district..

McCaskill would not get my vote she has stopped everything that the President ran on namely the Health care bill,here is another bluedog like Evan Byah who thinks just because they say they are a Democrat they will get a vote from Dem's,not this one.

Action speaks louder than words,and Bluedogs like McCaskill,Nelson&Nelson,Baucas,Conrad,,and many more have taken over the Democratic Party with their agenda...



Now when is wikileaks going to leak some info on Issa,McConnell,Sessions,mcCain.Lindsay Graham,Inhofe,Coburn,King,etc...

[EC]

2. Their putting pressure on the Dems (McCaskill and Nelson)

to lean right to protect their seats...of course with Nelson - if he goes much further right he will be a repub...this will happen in other states where the Dems still have a hold...

[Major Hogwash]

3. A chain's strength is rated by it's weakest link.

And neither one of those Dems has much support from national sources outside of their state. They bend in the smallest of breezes, and that is not a good thing for the country.