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The DSCC and Michael Bennet
According to a report in The Hill, the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Sen. Robert Menedez, D-N.J., said he assumes his organization will back Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., in his bid to retain former Sen. Ken Salazar’s seat in 2010.
From the article: “No Democratic incumbents were expected to leave their seats, but Menendez’s promise only means there won’t be open seats on top of the ones left by four members of the new administration — (Barack) Obama, Vice President (Joe) Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
“In those seats, three of the four appointees could run for election, and all three face potential primary challenges.
“Menendez said he would ‘assume’ that all three — Sens. Michael Bennet (Colo.), Roland Burris (Ill.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) — will garner the support of the DSCC.”
* * *
Whether the DSCC throws its weight behind Bennet could go a long way toward deciding if anyone will challenge him in a primary situation next year. Former Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, has been the rumored frontrunner for a primary challenge, but there could be other possible contenders for the seat, including Congressman Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo.
That said, even if the DSCC gets behind Bennet, a strong grassroots effort could be more than enough to convince a prospective challenger to get in the race.
*Bennet photo from The Daily Sentinel archives.
Comments
By SlouchingtowardBoulder
February 13, 2009 10:20 AM | Link to this
I wonder if Sen. Menendez will hold a fund raiser for Bennett as he did for Salazar at the corrupt New Jersey law firm of Scarinci & Hollenbeck?