Senator vs. Senator

[mndemocrat_29]

I was thinking about this for a while, and was wondering what DUers were thinking (I figured that Pol. and Campaigns would be the best forum to post it in).

If each state's senators had to face off against each other in a head-to-head election which do you think would win?

For example, in Alabama, it would be Richard Shelby vs. Jeff Sessions, and my guess would be that Shelby would carry it.

[Sandpiper]

1. In California

Feinstein would trounce Boxer

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Kennedy would destroy Kerry in Massachusetts

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. Dodd would handily defeat Lieberman!

[dolstein]

14. Lieberman would win handily if the race were open to all voters

Dodd might edge out Lieberman among Democrats, but Lieberman would trounce Dodd among independents and Republicans. DU'ers often have a hard time remembering that independents and Republicans get to vote in general elections.

[mark414]

4. Wisconsin

Herb Kohl has a lot more resources (i.e. cash) than Feingold, so he'd probably take it in a tight race.

[mndemocrat_29]

5. There are several obvious states

I don't think anyone would disagree that Ted Stevens, John McCain, Dick Durbin, and Judd Gregg would easily win there states. The more interesting races would be the one's with two superstars (like Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland), and those with a Republican taking on a Democrat.

Oddly enough, one of the most vulnerable senators from this cycle (Arlen Specter) would be guaranteed a win over Rick Santorum.

My guesses for the five closest races (in no particular order):
1. Rhode Island (the very popular Chafee takes on Democrat Reed)
2. South Carolina (it's a very Republican state, but Hollings is a legend)
3. Connecticut (two fairly similar senators battle it out)
4. Kansas (same as Connecticut, but the other side of the spectrum)
5. Wyoming (two almost identical senators, where geography could be the only key component in the election)

And of course, there's the three senators who have already done this-Harry Reid/John Ensign in 2000, Chuck Hagel/Ben Nelson in 1996, and Ron Wyden/Gordon Smith in 1996.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. WRONG! Jack Reed is far more popular than Chaffee.

Chaffee is at 42% approval and Reed is at 66%!

[ButterflyBlood]

10. Hollings may be a legend, but he barely won his last elections

only 50 and 52%. Sadly, that idiot Graham would win.

From what I hear, Roberts would trounce Brownback, and I think Thomas would win in Wyoming due to his seniority.

[WyLoochka]

6. McCain would defeat Kyl

[NMDemDist2]

13. in a heartbeat. Kyl is the worst ditto head i've ever seen

he even looks like Rush!

[trotsky]

8. I think Dayton would kick Coleman's ass.

Especially since Coleman needed the right-wing manufactured "outrage" over the Wellstone memorial to win in '02. More and more people who voted for the Teeth realize he's truly in politics to serve his consituency. His constituency being, naturally, Norm Coleman.

[ButterflyBlood]

11. that's what I was going to say

Coleman is barely a genuine human being.

[phillybri]

9. Dole would defeat Edwards

:puke:

[Wabbajack]

12. If they are in the same party

are we talking about a primary or the general? Cause former Dem Shelby would probably lose the repuke primary to Sessions.

[ComerPerro]

15. What I am about to say isn't really relevant, But I am from IL

and Dick Durbin is God.

(and, yes, he would walk all over Fitzgerald. But it matters little, because Obama will be our other Senator soon)

[salin]

16. It would be a tight race in Indiana

but I would give a slight edge to Lugar, however due to his age (not sure that he is old, but he looks very old these days) some fence sitters might go Bayh and even the edge out to neck and neck.

[JohnKleeb]

17. Warner over Allen I think