Republicans woke up this morning with a spring in their step: Sens. Byron Dorgan and Chris Dodd both said they wouldn’t run for another term. But the news may turn out to be an electoral wash. North Dakota governor John Hoeven, a Republican, is expected to run for Dorgan’s seat and win handily. This moves North Dakota into the “Likely Republican Takeover” column. But popular Connecticut AG Dick Blumenthal, a Democrat, is expected to announce tomorrow that he’ll run for Dodd’s seat, and an early poll shows him winning by 30 points. This moves Connecticut into the “Likely Democratic Retention” column.
The retirement news has left Senate majority leader Harry Reid as the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent; Reid has a high disapproval rating and trails his Republican challengers in polls.
