Who Will Be the Next Jim Talent?

Kos takes a look at the closeness of a potential stem-cell filibuster showdown in the Senate, and offers this on the issue's implications on 2008 Senate races:

But here's the rub for opponents -- the following "no" Republicans face tough reelection fights in tough battleground states, and won't want to be the next Jim Talent (who lost his reelection bid in large part because of this issue):

Allard in Colorado, Coleman in Minnesota, Dole in North Carolina, and Sununu in New Hampshire. Do they really want to give Democrats such an easy, fat, juicy target? I would bet that at least one flips. And if they don't, I would bet that stem cell research would be one of the biggest bats used to beat them to a bloody electoral pulp in 2008.

I would not be surprised if Coleman flipped after "further study and consideration" of the issue, or somesuch, given how he has taken public steps to distance himself from the GOP leadership and White House since Election Day 2006, with his impending forced-retirement looming. Also, with Judd Gregg supporting stem cell research and taking other steps to distance himself from the GOP, Sununu will be under great pressure to do likewise. So, we either get heightened stem cell research or another prime issue with which to evict these Senators so far out of step with their constituencies.