who and why (4.00 / 3)

I've no idea on why Danny Jones is the one floating the idea to the media, but I think it's among several plausible scenarios.

In any scenario, Gov. Manchin will appoint an interim successor to fill Sen. Byrd's seat. My best guess (and it's only that) is he'll announce his decision this upcoming Wednesday or Thursday. The big question is if the interim successor serves out the remainder of the term or only until a special election.

There are lots of people in both parties who would like to have a special election, not so much because they want to run for Senate, but because they want the Senate candidates to go ahead and get out of the way and then, perhaps, put them in a better position for Gov. in 2012.

Imagine, if you will, that there is a special election in 2011 and Gov. Manchin decides he is going to run. He'll likely be pressured to step down to run and definitely has to step down to serve. That starts a domino effect among Dem. office holders that changes the 2012 election picture.

Same thing for the Republicans. Shelley Moore Capito is already playing Hamlet (to be clear, I mean the indecisive part). I doubt Capito will ever run for Senate--I think she is too risk-adverse--but you can bet that Betty Ireland and quite a few other potential candidates would like to have Capito's decision clarified sooner rather than later. Plus, if Capito does run... win or lose, that changes the picture in WV-02 in 2012, too.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sat Jul 03, 2010 at 10:53:44 AM UTC

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I guess I can't see a candidate I can (0.00 / 0)

get excited about.  Who's looking good to you all?

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by: MadAnne @ Sat Jul 03, 2010 at 12:36:33 PM UTC

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