Weekend Wrap-Up

April fundraising numbers are out, and the DSCC more than doubled the NRSC's April take! Not only that, but the NRSC spent more in April ($2.182 million) than it took in ($2.125 million)! The DSCC now has about $12 million cash-on-hand with $5.5 million in debt (that I suggest they pay off now and get out of the way!), while the NRSC has less than $3.5 million on hand. The DSCC continues its unquestionable fundraising dominance over the NRSC. I hear that John Ensign is getting really good at internet backgammon and minesweeper, though; so, there's that.

Alabama: SSP and Sack Sessions pick up on a Huntsville Times article that Commissioner Ron Sparks will make a decision on a Senate race "by early July." The article notes:

If he does run, the reasons include his concern about the country’s budget deficit; that 48 million Americans don’t have health insurance; high gas prices; the handling and financing of the war in Iraq; poor veterans health care; and a basic unfairness in tax policy and worker pay, Sparks said.

Sounds like a heck of an important platform of issues to run on. Sparksmania!

Virginia: In offering a title "Farewell to John Warner," Robert "Count Chocula" Novak seems to suggest that he expects J. Warner to retire at the end of his term. He also suggests that Virginia conservatives are unhappy with his understudy, Rep. Tom Davis. Novak also predicts that super-popular former Governor Mark Warner will not run for Senate, holding out for the Veepstakes. For what it's worth, the Guru has a very different prediction.

Oregon: Another Democrat takes his name out of the running to challenge Gordon Smith: nine-term former Congressman Les Aucoin. Smith continues to dodge bullet after bullet.

Nebraska: Chuck Hagel must be playing his cards close to his chest, regarding his 2008 electoral plans. At any rate, Mitch McConnell must believe that Hagel will likely run for Senate re-election or he probably wouldn't be heaping the praise on Hagel like he is. (At least, McConnell must not believe that Hagel will bolt the GOP for an independent Presidential run.)

New Jersey: While real estate developer Anne Evans Estabrook is putting together her power base for a run at the GOP nomination to lose to Senator Frank Lautenberg, PoliticsNJ looks at state assemblyman Mike Doherty doing the same, gathering the support of Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan ("a former gubernatorial candidate" and "the de facto leader of the state GOP's most conservative wing") and "moderate" assemblywoman Marcia Karrow, as well as Rep. Scott Garrett and Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance.

South Dakota: Dakota Voice picks up on popular, still-recovering Senator Tim Johnson's first announced Republican opponent for 2008: self-employed businessman Sam Kephart.

New Hampshire: Barack Obama sticks it to Sprintin' John Sununu.

BooMan looks at Senator Jim Webb's victorious Senate campaign as a possible template for 2008 Democratic challengers.

Can somebody please do something about this?!?