Sick though everybody is of election talk, we here at THE WEEKLY STANDARD will never tire in our effort to bring you, our loyal readers, the voting news — even if it involves a vote that will take place two years from now. That’s how far ahead of the curve we are. (Either that or we don’t have a life.) So here’s the buzz around the Senate: After picking up two seats in 1996, Republicans may be positioned to make even larger gains in 1998. Not only do the Democrats have more seats up, but two key Democratic senators are considering retirement.
Pre-election, Louisiana senator John Breaux told friends that if the Republicans held the Senate, he would not run in 1998. (He wants to be appointed ambassador to France.) And it looks like Fritz Hollings of South Carolina is retiring, most likely to avoid being knocked off by the popular former governor of the state, Carroll Campbell. Last summer, when Campbell was being talked up for vice president, Hollings sought to undermine him by telling reporters in which Campbell closets they might find a skeleton or two. Campbell vowed to get even with Hollings by going mano a mano with the veteran senator. So Hollings apparently plans to duck the fight.
