Basic Senate Data

Here's some basic data regarding the nine senate races (8 Republican and 1 Democratic) which are currently on my radar. I'll probably go back and add some basic explanation for each race at some later date.

Virginia

Incumbent: Sen. John Warner (Retiring after five terms) (OPEN SEAT)
Candidates: Fmr. Gov. Mark Warner (D) vs. Fmr. Gov. Jim Gilmore (R)
2002 Result: Warner (R) 82.6% Spannaus (I) 9.7% Hornberger (L) 7.1%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Republican 7.1%
Polling: Warner 57% Gilmore 37% (Rasmussen 2/21/08)
Cash on Hand: Warner 2.9 Million Gilmore 200,000
Rating: Likely Democratic
Ranking: 1st on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Warner by 12-14%

New Mexico

Incumbent: Sen. Pete Domenici (Retiring after six terms) (OPEN SEAT)
Candidates: Rep. Tom Udall (D) vs. Rep. Heather Wilson or Rep. Stevan Pearce (R)
2002 Result: Domenici (R) 65% Tristani (D) 35%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Democratic .6%
Polling: Udall 58% Wilson 30/Udall 53% Pearce 31% (New Mexico State 2/11/08)
Cash on Hand: Udall 1.7 Million Wilson 1.1 Million Pearce 800K
Rating: Leans Democratic
Ranking: 2rd on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Udall by 5-7%


New Hampshire

Incumbent: Sen. John Sununu (Running for a second term)
Candidates: Fmr. Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) vs. Sen. John Sununu (R)
2002 Result: Sununu (R) 50.9% Shaheen (D) 46.4%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Democratic 1.0%
Polling: Shaheen 49% Sununu 41% (Rasmussen 3/21/08)
Cash on Hand: Sununu 3.4 Million Shaheen 1.1 Million
Rating: Leans Democratic
Ranking: 3rd on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Shaheen by 4-6%


Colorado

Incumbent: Sen. Wayne Allard (Retiring after two terms) (OPEN SEAT)
Candidates: Rep. Mark Udall (D) vs. Fmr. Rep. Bob Schaffer (R)
2002 Result: Allard* (R) 50.7% Strickland (D) 45.8%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Republican 5.6%
Polling: Udall 46% Schaffer 43% (Rasmussen 3/18/08)
Cash on Hand: Udall 3.6 Million Schaffer 1.5 Million
Rating: Tilts Democratic/Toss-Up
Ranking: 4th on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Udall by 1-3%

Minnesota

Incumbent: Sen. Norm Coleman (Running for a second term)
Candidates: Sen. Norm Coleman (R) vs. Al Franken (DFL)
2002 Result: Coleman (R) 49.5% Mondale (DFL) 47.3%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Democratic Farmer-Labor 3.9%
Polling: Coleman 48% Franken 46% (Rasmussen 3/18/08)
Cash on Hand: Coleman 6 Million Franken 3.1 Million
Rating: Tilts Republican/Toss-Up
Ranking: 5th on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Coleman by 2-4%

Oregon

Incumbent: Sen. Gordon Smith (Running for a third term)
Candidates: Sen. Gordon Smith (R) vs. Speaker Jeff Merkley or Steve Novick (D)
2002 Result: Smith* (R) 56.2% Bradbury (D) 39.6%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Democratic 3.3%
Polling: Smith 48% Merkley 30%/Smith 48% Novick 35% (Rasmussen 2/19/08)
Cash on Hand: Smith 4.4 Million Merkley 500K Novick 300K
Rating: Leans Republican
Ranking: 6th on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Smith by 5-7%

Maine

Incumbent: Sen. Susan Collins (Running for a third term)
Candidates: Sen. Susan Collins (R) vs. Rep. Tom Allen (D)
2002 Result: Collins* (R) 58.4% Pingree (D) 41.6%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Democratic 8.0%
Polling: No Recent Polling
Cash on Hand: Collins 3.9 Million Allen 2.5 Million
Rating: Heavily Leans Republican
Ranking: 7th on Democratic Target List
% Prediction: Collins by 8-10%

Alaska

Incumbent: Sen. Ted Stevens (Running for a seventh full term)
Candidates: Sen. Ted Stevens (R) vs. Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D)
2002 Result: Stevens* (R) 78.2% Vondersaar (D) 10.5% Sykes (G) 7.2%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Republican 27.3%
Polling: No Recent Polling
Cash on Hand: Stevens 1.1 Million Begich No Report Filled
Rating: Heavily Leans Republican
Ranking: 8th on Democratic Target List
It’s Not a Dump Truck: It’s a Series of Tubes
Why?: Beats me
% Prediction: Stevens by 10-12%

Louisiana

Incumbent: Sen. Mary Landrieu (Running for a third term)
Candidates: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) vs. Treasurer John Kennedy (R)
2002 Result: Landrieu* (D) 51.7% Terrell (R) 48.3%
2000/2004 Average PVI: Republican 10.1%
Polling: No Recent Polling
Cash on Hand: Landrieu 4.1 Million Kennedy No Report Filled
Rating: Tilts Democratic/Toss-Up
Ranking: 1st on Republican Target List
% Prediction: Landrieu by 1-3%