MA-SEN

Poll: Scott Brown Ahead But Under 50 Percent Against Elizabeth Warren

Eric Kleefeld | September 6, 2011, 12:08PM

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren (D)

A new poll in Massachusetts find that Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) remains ahead in his race for re-election in 2012 -- but is well under 50 percent against former White House adviser Elizabeth Warren, a precarious spot for a Republican in this usually deep-blue state.

The new survey was sponsored by Boston's NPR station, and conducted by polling firm MassINC. The numbers: Brown 44%, Warren 35%. In match-ups against other Democrats, Brown led City Year co-founder Alan Khazei by 45%-30%, led Dem activist Bob Massie by 45%-29%, and led Newton Mayor Seti Warren 46%-28%.

In a positive sign for Brown, his favorable rating is a solid 54%, to only 25% unfavorable. On the other hand, Elizabeth Warren is at only 17%-13% favorable, with 24% undecided and a 44% plurality having never heard of her -- and Brown is nevertheless unable to reach 50% support in this Dem state.

The poll was conducted from August 30 to September 1, and has a ±4.4% margin of error.

WI-SEN

Democrat Tammy Baldwin Declares Senate Run In Wisconsin (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | September 6, 2011, 9:59AM

Senate campaign announcement by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

The first big Democratic name has entered the open Senate race in Wisconsin, with Rep. Tammy Baldwin declaring her candidacy Tuesday to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl in this high-profile swing state.

Baldwin announced her candidacy, which has been much expected since Kohl announced his retirement in May, with a YouTube video posted Tuesday morning.

Baldwin was first elected to the House in 1998, after serving in the state Assembly, and became the first openly gay candidate elected to Congress as a non-incumbent -- and if elected to the Senate, she would become the first openly gay senator at all. After an initial close re-election race in 2000, she has won landslides for her House seat ever since.

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WI-SEN

Wis. GOP Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald Running For Senate

Eric Kleefeld | August 30, 2011, 10:25AM

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R)

Another Republican has thrown his hat into the ring for the Wisconsin Senate seat being opened up by the retirement of Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl. And the latest candidate has a big name: State Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald -- who along with his brother, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, and Gov. Scott Walker, has been instrumental in passing the anti-public employee union legislation that sparked the wave of protests, recall elections, and other big controversies in Wisconsin.

Fitzgerald confirmed his candidacy to the Wausau Daily Herald on Monday:

He said he would apply his experience in the Wisconsin Legislature to the Senate.

"We have the same problems here (in Wisconsin) as we have in D.C.," he said, citing excessive taxation as an example. He said the national debt must be brought under control and that "we need to start making stuff in this country."

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WI-SEN

GOPer Mark Neumann Announces Senate Campaign In Wisconsin

Eric Kleefeld | August 29, 2011, 1:56PM

Former Rep. Mark Neumann (R-WI)

Former Rep. Mark Neumann (R-WI) officially launched his campaign for U.S. Senate Monday, setting up a likely Republican primary against the more moderate former Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Neumann announced his campaign in an interview with conservative talk radio host Charlie Sykes, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Neumann's likely opponent Thompson has been gearing up for the race, and has already been attacked by the conservative group the Club For Growth.

Some of Neumann's former aides now work at the Club For Growth, though Neumann said in the interview that he would not have any control over what the group does. "They support conservative candidates. We hope they'll support us," Neumann said of the Club. And regarding his former staffers, he said: "They are conservative people and they are dedicated to reducing wasteful spending."

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WI-SEN

Club For Growth Ad Slams Tommy Thompson In Wis. Senate Race (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 23, 2011, 9:55AM

The right-wing Club For Growth is wasting no time in taking a shot at Republican former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who is poised to officially enter race for the state's open Democratic-held Senate seat. They've released a new TV ad seeking to tie Thompson to President Obama and health care reform.

Of course, Thompson does not yet have an opponent. But the Club has been dismissive of Thompson for months, and has released poll data suggesting that the relatively moderate Thompson could be vulnerable to a primary challenge from the right.

"Tommy Thompson has been a politician since way back in 1966," the announcer says. "But do you know his record? As governor, Thompson supported massive tax and spending increases."

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UT-SEN

Report: Chaffetz Won't Challenge Hatch For GOP Senate Nomination

Eric Kleefeld | August 22, 2011, 2:43PM

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), who had long been eyeing a primary challenge against long-time Sen. Orrin Hatch, is expected to announce later today that he will not seek the Senate, and instead run for re-election to the House, the Salt Lake Tribune reports -- thus removing the single greatest threat to Hatch's re-election.

The Hatch and Chaffetz camps had already been fighting it out in public, in expectation of the likely contest. In addition, polling had shown that Hatch was vulnerable after 35 years securely in office, thanks in part to the overall anti-incumbent restlessness that has seen the rise of the Tea Party movement.

However, Chaffetz would have had to have risked a lot -- a secure spot in the House, and a position as a major voice among House conservatives -- for a Senate bid that would not have been any sure thing. In addition, Hatch has been going further to the right, with his support for a "Balanced Budget Amendment" proposal that would limit government spending and put up roadblocks to tax increases. Perhaps as a result, a more recent survey was showing Hatch with a lead over Chaffetz.

CT-SEN

Former GOP Rep. Shays To Seek Comeback In Connecticut Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | August 22, 2011, 1:22PM

Former Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT)

Former Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT), who was defeated for re-election in the 2008 Democratic wave after 21 years in office, has announced that he will run for Senate in 2012, to succeed retiring Democratic-aligned independent Sen. Joe Lieberman.

As the Greenwich Times reports, Shays moved to Maryland soon after his 2008 defeat. A check of the voter rolls show that he was re-registered as a Connecticut voter just this past Friday in Bridgeport, where he and wife bought a condominium last year when he was considering a run for governor.

"Betsi and I excited to be back in Connecticut," Shays, told the paper. "These are all the steps that I am taking so that I can have the opportunity to run for Senate. I hope to be on the ballot next November."

Read more »

Wisconsin

Feingold: I Will Not Run For Public Office In 2012

Eric Kleefeld | August 19, 2011, 9:25AM

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), June 12, 2011.

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who lost his seat after three terms in the 2010 Republican wave, has announced that he will not run for office in 2012 -- either in the race for state's open Senate seat, or in a potential recall against Gov. Scott Walker -- a development that could possibly lower the chances for success of the latter possibility, or the likelihood of a recall even occurring.

"This was a difficult decision, as I thoroughly enjoyed my tenure in both the State Senate and the U.S. Senate, and I know that progressives are eager to reverse some of the outrageous policies being pursued by corporate interests at both the state and federal levels," Feingold wrote in an e-mail to his supporters.

"I am also well aware that I have a very strong standing in the polls should I choose to run again for the U.S. Senate or in a recall election for governor. After twenty-eight continuous years as an elected official, however, I have found the past eight months to be an opportunity to look at things from a different perspective."

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Wisconsin

Tommy Thompson Announces Co-Chairs For Upcoming Wisconsin Senate Bid

Eric Kleefeld | August 18, 2011, 12:33PM

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI)

Tommy Thompson, the former four-term Wisconsin governor and Bush-era Health and Human Services Secretary, has now taken significant steps toward running for the open Senate seat in his state, where Democrat Herb Kohl is retiring.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Thompson has announced two co-chairs for his nascent campaign: Former top political aide Jim Klauser, and current state Attorney General JB. Van Hollen.

"I'm honored to have the support and commitment of Jim and J.B.," Thompson said in a statement. "We need to get America working again. We can do better, and it begins with getting government out the way of creating the jobs that make our families and communities stronger."

Following Kohl's retirement announcement in May, Thompson said that he would wait until after the very high-profile state Senate recalls, which concluded this past Tuesday, to make a decision about whether he would run for the U.S. Senate.

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Elizabeth Warren

Warren Moving Closer To Senate Run?

Michael R. Corjulo | August 12, 2011, 8:46AM

Consumer Affairs and Protection Bureau Director Elizabeth Warren

Rumours of an Elizabeth Warren Senate challenge to Republican Scott Brown (R-MA) grew Thursday as the champion of consumer protection penned a suggestive op-ed in the democratic blog Blue Mass Group.

Addressing Massachusetts voters, Warren gave a brief overview of her life story including a description of the fiscal constraints her family faced during her early childhood, her time in Washington establishing CFPB, and her desire to continue helping the middle class.

Read more »

FL-SEN

GOPer Haridopolos Suddenly Drops Out Of Florida Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | July 18, 2011, 11:16AM

Florida State Senate President Mike Haridopolos (R)

The Republican field in Florida to take on Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson just got shaken up, with state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, a frontrunner in the race, suddenly dropping out after previously strong (but diminishing) fundraising.

The St. Petersburg Times reports: "In an increasingly crowded race to unseat Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson, Haridopolos' campaign showed signs of stalling. Just last week came news that political adviser Pat Bainter was leaving the campaign along with de facto campaign manager and spokesman, Tim Baker."

Haridopolos previously led in the money race, taking in $2.5 million in the first quarter. However, his fundraising in the second quarter dropped sharply to $900,000, followed by former Sen. George LeMieux (who was appointed by then-Republican Gov. Charlie Crist in 2009, and did not seek a full term, before Crist became an independent) at $900,000, followed by former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner at $560,000.

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UT-SEN

Poll: Chaffetz Leads Hatch In Potential Senate Primary Challenge

Eric Kleefeld | July 13, 2011, 3:54PM

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

A new survey of Utah from Public Policy Polling (D) shows longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch vulnerable for the Republican nomination, trailing his potential opponent Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

The numbers: Chaffetz 47%, Hatch 43%. The survey of Republican primary voters was conducted from July 8-10, and has a ±4.9% margin of error.

Chaffetz, who was first elected to Congress in 2008 by defeating an incumbent in the GOP primary, has been considering a challenge against Hatch. The poll gives Chaffetz a favorable rating of 61%, to 17% unfavorable. Hatch's approval rating is actually a very similar 60%, to a disapproval of 28%.

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UT-SEN

Poll: Could A Democrat Get Elected To The Senate From Utah?

Eric Kleefeld | July 12, 2011, 12:46PM

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT)

A new survey of Utah from Public Policy Polling (D) finds a surprising result: That in this deep, deep, deep-red state, Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson could potentially be a competitive -- or even winning -- candidate for U.S. Senate.

Matheson, a Blue Dog Democrat, was tested against incumbent six-term Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, plus GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who could potentially challenge Hatch for the Republican nomination. The result showed Matheson edging out Hatch by 45%-44%, and leading Chaffetz by 47%-42%.

The poll showed Matheson with a 59% favorable rating, to 28% unfavorable. Two other Democrats were tested -- former state Attorney General Jan Graham, and 2010 Senate nominee and state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control chairman Sam Granato -- and they both trailed Hatch and Chaffetz by martins of about 20 points in all cases.

Of course, it should be noted that the idea of a Democratic senator from Utah does fall into the category of "believe it when you see it." And even then, you'd still have your doubts.

Read more »

WI-SEN

Tammy Baldwin: 'I Think I Am Likely' To Run For Wisconsin Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | July 5, 2011, 2:15PM

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is getting closer to a run for Senate in the very polarized swing state of Wisconsin, where four-term Dem Sen. Herb Kohl is retiring in 2012.

"I think I am likely to run," Baldwin told the Capital Times, in a profile piece. She later added: "It is a major decision, and I have to make it carefully, but I am likely to do it."

Baldwin was first elected to Congress in 1998, representing a strongly Democratic district comprising Madison and the surrounding counties. Except for a close-call race for her second term in 2000, she has been easily re-elected ever since.

A survey in late May from Public Policy Polling (D) found that Baldwin could start out with a plurality of 30% in a wide open Democratic primary -- that is, if former Sen. Russ Feingold, who lost in the 2010 Republican wave, were to decide not to run. If Feingold were to run, he would begin with a prohibitive 70%, with Baldwin at a mere 12%.

UT-SEN

Chaffetz vs. Hatch -- On The Radio

Eric Kleefeld | June 17, 2011, 5:45AM

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

Two top Utah politicians are starting to line up against each other in the state's Senate race, with longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch facing a likely challenge for the Republican nomination from two-term Rep. Jason Chaffetz -- and they're fighting it out via talk radio.

Chaffetz, who first came to Congress after defeating incumbent GOP Rep. Chris Cannon, has been sending lots of signals that he could try to harness the Tea Party anti-incumbent fervor and turn it against Hatch. And in turn, Hatch was sent a serious message in 2010, when his fellow Sen. Bob Bennett was defeated at the state GOP convention, unable to even advance to a primary under the procedures used in the state.

It is important to note that the state convention system used in Utah -- in which a candidate can win a nomination outright by a vote of 60% of delegates at the state convention, without need for a primary -- can seriously empower the party's right-wing activist base. As such, the early phase of this fight is not fought out through a wider primary electorate, but through activists and a caucus system. Thus, targeted radio shows and the activities of activist groups will be the initial field of battle.

Now, Hatch and Chaffetz have hit the radio hustings.

Read more »

Wisconsin Protests

Feingold Addresses Anti-Walker Protesters: 'We Will Not Stop Until We Win'

Eric Kleefeld | June 13, 2011, 10:17AM

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), June 12, 2011.

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who was defeated for re-election in the 2010 Republican wave after three terms, has now begun to re-emerge into the public eye -- taking part in the protests against Republican Gov. Scott Walker that have been going on pretty much non-stop for the last few months at the state Capitol.

Earlier this month, the protests took their newest form with a tent city around the Capitol, dubbed "Walkerville" as a word-play on how shantytowns became known during the Great Depression as "Hoovervilles." As the Wisconsin State Journal reports, Feingold spoke on Sunday at a Walkerville event:

"Why are we in a place called Walkerville today?" he asked the energized crowd at the corner of State and West Mifflin streets, amid the tent village that sprang up earlier this month to protest the state budget bill and will remain through June 20 while lawmakers debate the bill.

"Because we will not stop until we win."

Feingold, who lost his seat in November to Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson, outlined necessary actions for the near future: taking back the majority in the state Senate and Assembly, and -- drawing big applause -- defeating Gov. Scott Walker, who he called a tool of the Republican party.

During the speech, chants of "run, Russ, run," could be heard, but Feingold didn't mention his own political future.

Read more »

MA-Pres

Poll: Romney Losing Massachusetts To Obama By 20 Points

Eric Kleefeld | June 10, 2011, 11:02AM

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) and Barack Obama

Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty are gearing up to be major competitors in the Republican presidential primary race. And as it turns out, the two of them have something in common: According to new surveys from Public Policy Polling (D), they would both lose their respective home states to President Obama by serious margins -- though as the new numbers from Massachusetts show, it's much worse in Romney's case.

In the new Massachusetts survey, Obama leads Romney by a landslide margin of 57%-37% -- wider than the 51%-43% margin that Obama has over Pawlenty in Minnesota, and comparable to Obama's 56%-35% lead over the other likely Minnesotan candidate, Michele Bachmann, in that state.

As it turns out, Romney is actually the strongest Republican candidate in Massachusetts. Obama leads Herman Cain by 60%-27%, leads Newt Gingrich by 63%-27%, leads Sarah Palin by 63%-27%, and leads Pawlenty by 59%-28%.

Read more »

Wisconsin

Feingold On Senate Or Gov Bid: 'I'm Looking At It'

Eric Kleefeld | June 2, 2011, 12:47PM

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who was defeated for re-election after three terms in the 2010 Republican wave, now says he is considering a possible comeback bid for the state's other Senate seat, from which Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl is retiring in 2012.

"I am looking at it, but I feel I should take some time to think this through," Feingold told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "For me the question right now is whether it's a good idea for me to go back into this sort of life."

Feingold said he would decide by Labor Day.

A recent survey from Public Policy Polling (D) found that Feingold would likely have a solid lock on the Democratic nomination, giving him a lead of 70%-12% over Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who is also considering a run. (Without Feingold in the race, Baldwin would start out with a plurality over a field of several other Democrats.)

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WI-SEN

PPP Poll: Feingold Way Ahead For WI-SEN Dem Nod, Thompson Could Face GOP Troubles

Eric Kleefeld | May 27, 2011, 3:00PM

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI) and former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

A new survey of Wisconsin from Public Policy Polling (D) finds that in the open Senate race, where Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl is retiring, former Sen. Russ Feingold could potentially have a lock on the Dem nomination if he wanted it -- but that former Gov. Tommy Thompson might face a competitive contest on the GOP side.

If Feingold were to run -- following his defeat for re-election after three terms, in the 2010 Republican wave -- the poll shows him starting out with a whopping 70% support in a Democratic primary, followed in a very distant second place of 12% by Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who has been eyeing the race, and several other names in single digits.

If Feingold did not run, Baldwin would start with 30%, followed by former Rep. Steve Kagen (who also lost in 2010) with 17%, Rep. Ron Kind with 16%, state Sen. Jon Erpenbach with 13%, and several others in single digits.

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WI-SEN

PPP Poll: Feingold Leads In WI-SEN Race, GOPer Thompson Only Close Against Other Dems

Eric Kleefeld | May 24, 2011, 12:40PM

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI) and former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

A new survey of the Wisconsin Senate race from Public Policy Polling (D), where Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl is retiring, gives the potential Democratic candidates consistent leads over any Republican who isn't named Tommy Thompson -- and even Thompson, the former four-term governor and Bush-era Health and Human Services Secretary, would face a close race.

Several different potential Democratic candidates were tested out against several Republicans, in a swing state that has become the center of a polarizing political debate over labor unions in the wake of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's anti-public employee union legislation.

"Russ Feingold's going to start out as a solid favorite if he wants to go back to the Senate," writes PPP president Dean Debnam. "His loss last year had less to do with him than the national political climate and because of Scott Walker's unpopularity things have shifted back toward the Democrats more quickly in Wisconsin than most other places."

The poll of registered voters was conducted from May 19-22, and has a ±2.4% margin of error.

Read more »

WI-SEN

Club For Growth Slams Tommy Thompson: 'April Fools Was Weeks Ago'

Eric Kleefeld | May 18, 2011, 4:14PM

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI)

Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and Bush-era Health and Human Services secretary who is widely expected to run for his state's open Democrat-held Senate seat, could now face some stiff opposition from his right -- namely from the right-wing activist group the Club For Growth, which came out strongly against him this afternoon.

The Club said in a statement:

"Tommy Thompson raised taxes as Governor, supported ObamaCare, and now he wants to run for the United States Senate? April Fools was weeks ago," said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. "Wisconsin Republicans should recruit a pro-growth conservative to run, not recall some big-government pro-tax Republican whose time has come and gone. Club members are watching Wisconsin's Senate race closely.

Keep in mind that the Club is perhaps most known for the determination with which it backs primary challengers over establishment-backed moderate GOP candidates, and even GOP incumbents.

So a statement like this is not to be taken lightly, as Thompson mulls his final decision about running.

WI-SEN

Reports: Tommy Thompson In, Ryan Out For Wisconsin Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | May 17, 2011, 9:34AM

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

This post has been updated at 11 a.m. ET.

Paul Ryan (R-WI), whose proposal to privatize Medicare has become the focus of current political debates, will not run for the Senate seat from which Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl is retiring. Instead, former Wisconsin Governor and Bush-era Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson will reportedly be getting in.

Ryan said in a statement posted on his campaign site, in part:

For my family and me, the most important factor in making this decision was determining where I could make the biggest difference. Our nation is quickly approaching a debt crisis that will do serious damage to Wisconsinites and all Americans if it is not properly addressed. I believe continuing to serve as Chairman of the House Budget Committee allows me to have a greater impact in averting this debt-fueled economic crisis than if I were to run for the United States Senate.

National Journal and Politico reported Ryan's plans earlier today, and that Thompson would get in.

Read more »

2012 elections

Wis. Dem Chair: Russ Feingold, Tammy Baldwin Could Run For Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2011, 2:54PM

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

On a conference call with reporters just now, Wisconsin Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate predicted that the party would have one or more strong candidates in the race to succeed Dem Sen. Herb Kohl, who announced his retirement earlier on Friday. Indeed, Tate directly named some key potential candidates who are already looking at it, or might soon be doing so.

Chief among the names that Tate listed were former Sen. Russ Feingold, who lost re-election in the 2010 Republican wave after three terms in office, and seven-term Rep. Tammy Baldwin from Madison and the surrounding counties.

"I think the next 6-8 weeks are going be an important timeframe for people to at least make a decision about whether they're gonna run," Tate said.

"I've already spoken with some people this morning who indicated there are serious people thinking about getting in this race," Tate also added, saying that at least for Friday focus should be on Kohl himself and his record of serving the state.

When a reporter asked who Tate might have been talking to, or what names might have come up, Tate said there could be many great candidates. "Obviously Russ Feingold looms large if he were or were not to run again," Tate said. "And I've spoken to people very close to her that Tammy Baldwin is seriously considering running for the Senate seat."

Tate also said that people who might be looking at the race include Rep. Ron Kind, Milwaukee Mayor and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Barrett, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, and biotechnology executive Kevin Conroy.

Read more »

WI-SEN

Kohl Announces Retirement From Senate, Predicts GOP Overreach In Wisconsin Will Benefit Dems

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2011, 12:33PM

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) has officially announced his retirement. Kohl's decision to not seek reelection in 2012 opens up a potential top-tier Senate race, in a swing state that has become the center of a polarizing political debate over labor unions in the wake of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's anti-public employee union legislation.

"I've always believed that it's better to leave a job a little too early than a little too late," the four-term senator said in his opening remarks. "And that's how I feel today. The interest and energy I have for this job will find a new home at the conclusion of this term."

Kohl told reporters that he believed the divisions in the state, triggered by Walker's legislation, would make it easier for the Democrats to hold the seat. "I think whoever we nominate is going to have a very good chance of winning," said Kohl. "To some extent the Republicans have overreached, and people have recoiled, and the landscape will be more favorable.

"Not that I'm happy it's happened -- I'm not happy that it's happened. But I think the landscape will be more favorable to Democratic candidates than last year."

(Thanks to the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee, for live-streaming Kohl's press conference.)

WI-SEN

Dem Wisconsin Sen. Herb Kohl Expected To Announce Retirement

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2011, 10:39AM

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), will reportedly announce today that he will not run again in 2012, after having served four terms. This in turn will open up a potential top-tier Senate race, in a swing state that has become the center of a polarizing political debate over labor unions in the wake of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's anti-public employee union legislation.

Kohl was first elected to the Senate in 1988, after a career in business and as owner of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. He will be 77 years old on election day 2012. Kohl had not been raising money in recent months, thus making this announcement somewhat expected, but his personal fortune and capacity to self-finance made the situation ambiguous.

A Democratic source in Wisconsin confirmed to TPMDC that Dems expect Kohl to announce his retirement. According to the source, potential Democratic candidates include Rep. Ron Kind, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, Milwaukee Mayor and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Tom Barrett, and former Sen. Russ Feingold, who was defeated after three terms in the 2010 Republican wave.

TX-SEN

Retired Gen. Sanchez, Who Resigned After Abu Ghraib, Launches Dem Senate Bid In Texas

Eric Kleefeld | May 11, 2011, 2:48PM

Retired United States Army Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez

Retired Army Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, who retired in the wake of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq, has officially launched his campaign for the open Senate seat in Texas as a Democrat, after having reportedly been courted by national Dems to seek the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The San Antonio Express-News reports:

By filing today, Sanchez, 57, said he'll be free to raise and spend campaign funds. The race, his first, comes nearly five years after the end of a career that saw him lead the bloodiest American war since Vietnam and retire as one of the highest-ranking Hispanics in Army history.

...

As the top soldier in Baghdad, Sanchez grappled with the insurgency and the Abu Ghraib scandal. Cleared of wrongdoing, he called for creation of a commission to "address what happened to the country as a result of the suspension of the Geneva Conventions" by Bush.

The commission was never created.

Read more »

AZ-SEN

PPP Poll: Giffords Leads In Potential Arizona Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | May 4, 2011, 11:45AM

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)

A new survey of registered voters in Arizona by Public Policy Polling finds that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D), who has been in physical rehabilitation since she was shot in the head at a district event near Tucson in early January, would lead in the state's open U.S. Senate race if she were able to run.

As TPM has previously reported, Giffords had been viewed as a potential candidate before she was shot, and many state Democrats believe that she should have a right of first refusal for the race after incumbent Republican Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl announced his retirement in February.

This new poll gives Giffords a lead over the likely Republican nominee, Rep. Jeff Flake, of 48%-41%. The survey of registered voters has a ±3.9% margin of error.

Read more »

Sharron Angle

Sharron Angle For Senate? Poll Says Fat Chance

Jon Terbush | April 29, 2011, 8:20AM

According to a PPP poll released this week, Sharron Angle would face strong opposition should she run for a Senate seat in Nevada next year. This time, however, that opposition would come from within her own party.

In the poll, Angle trailed Rep. Dean Heller (R) in a hypothetical Republican primary contest to seek the seat being vacated by embattled Sen. John Ensign (R) -- and it wasn't even close. In that matchup, Heller led Angle by a mammoth 84% to 8% margin.

Read more »

NV-SEN

Heller Appointed To Nevada Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | April 27, 2011, 3:54PM

Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV)

Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) is officially the newly appointed Senator for Nevada, the Las Vegas Sun reports. He'll take the seat being vacated in early May with the resignation of Republican Sen. John Ensign.

Heller had already been running for the seat, following the scandal-plagued Ensign's announcement that he would not run again in 2012. When Ensign announced his resignation last week, Heller became the immediate favorite to be appointed by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval.

"The people of Nevada deserve a new senator who can begin work immediately," Sandoval said in a press release, mounting an apparent defense of his appointment of an already active candidate. "Too many important issues face our state and our nation to name a caretaker to this important position; Nevada needs an experienced voice in Washington, DC."

This appointment gives Heller an initial incumbency in 2012 against his Democratic challenger, Rep. Shelley Berkley. A recent survey from Public Policy Polling (D) gave Heller a narrow lead of 47%-43% over Berkley in this perennial swing state.

Scott Brown

Poll: Sen. Scott Brown Trounces Dem Challengers In Reelection Bid

Jon Terbush | April 7, 2011, 3:45PM

Senator Scott Brown (R-MA)

Despite being a Republican in one of the bluest states in the nation, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is wildly popular with his constituents, a majority of whom say the freshman Senator deserves to be reelected next year according to a new Suffolk University poll.

Nearly six in ten respondents in the poll of likely voters said they have a favorable opinion of Brown. And in hypothetical head-to-head matchups, Brown led all but one Democrat thrown against him by at least 15 points. Brown's only close contest, a five point lead, came against former Sen. Joe Kennedy, who has already ruled out a future Senate bid.

Read more »

VA-SEN

Tim Kaine Launches Senate Bid In Virginia (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 5, 2011, 1:31PM

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine (VA)

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, who served as governor of Virginia from 2006-2010, has officially kicked off his much-expected campaign for Senate, for the seat held by retiring Dem Sen. Jim Webb.

In a YouTube video, Kaine touts his accomplishments as governor, saying he attracted business to the state and was praised for his fiscal management.

"I'm running for the United States Senate because America has big challenges," says Kaine. "And I'm convinced that Virginia has answers to help strengthen our nation."

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Senate '12

Poll: As Michigan's GOP Gov. Loses Support, Dem Senator Rises

Jon Terbush | March 23, 2011, 4:38PM

Governor Rick Snyder (R-MI) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

In December, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) looked shaky heading into her 2012 reelection bid. One poll found her barely leading a slate of potential Republican challengers. But now, Stabenow's poll numbers have rebounded: a new PPP poll shows her leading her potential rivals by double-digits.

That turnaround comes at the same time that Michigan's new Republican Governor, Rick Snyder, has seen his approval rating slide, after his push for a controversial proposal that would give him the authority to appoint emergency managers in struggling cities, a proposal one supporter likened to "financial martial law."

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CT-SEN

PPP Poll: Murphy, Bysiewicz In Close Dem Primary For CT-SEN

Eric Kleefeld | March 22, 2011, 5:40PM

CT-SEN Democratic candidates Chris Murphy and Susan Bysiewicz

A new survey of Connecticut by Public Policy Polling (D), commissioned by Daily Kos, shows Democrats starting out heavily favored to keep the open seat of retiring Dem-aligned independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, with the two candidates Chris Murphy and Susan Bysiewicz starting out in a close primary.

Murphy, a three-term Congressman, and Bysiewicz, a former Connecticut Secretary of State, are in a statistical dead heat at 40% for Murphy, to 38% for Bysiewicz. The survey of likely Democratic primary voters has a ±4.9% margin of error, and the primary is a long way off -- in August 2012.

In a wider sample of registered voters for the general election, Murphy and Bysiewicz both lead all five possible Republican opponents, none of whom are officially in the race: 2010 nominee and former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, 2010 candidate and former Rep. Rob Simmons, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, former Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, and state Sen. Scott Frantz.

OH-SEN

As Kasich Sinks, Dem. Senator's Reelection Odds Get A Big Boost

Jon Terbush | March 16, 2011, 12:26PM

Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Just two months ago, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) looked vulnerable to defeat heading into 2012. But now, amid a state-level showdown over union rights that has energized voters and sent Republican Gov. John Kasich's approval rating into a tailspin, a new PPP poll of registered voters finds Brown suddenly dominating a slate of potential Republican challengers.

In December, polls showed Brown in a precarious position, barely leading relatively unknown Republicans in hypothetical 2012 contests. But in the latest survey, Brown has suddenly shot ahead of his GOP rivals, such that he now leads each of them by double-digit margins; his lead over one challenger exploded from a miniscule 2 points in December to 19 in the latest poll.

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Scott Brown

Poll: Scott Brown In Great Shape Heading Into 2012 Reelection Campaign

Jon Terbush | March 15, 2011, 8:37AM

Senator Scott Brown (R-MA)

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) could drive his truck straight on to a second term in 2012.

A poll out this week from Wester New England College finds that a majority of registered voters in deep blue Massachusetts give Brown good marks on his job approval. In addition, Brown tops a couple of potential Democratic challengers in head-to-head matchups.

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Jeff Flake

Flake Joins GOP Frosh Fray, Won't Vote for Next CR

Susan Crabtree | March 14, 2011, 6:35PM

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), a longtime fiscal conservative who is running for Senate, is closing ranks with his fellow Tea Party loyalists in rejecting the latest stop-gap spending measure crafted to avoid a government shutdown and which has the backing of the House GOP leadership.

"How are we ever supposed to tackle the grave fiscal challenges before us like the debt ceiling, the debt, and the FY2012 budget when we just keep punting on FY2011 spending?" Flake said in release Monday afternoon.

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