GOOD NEWS FOR 2 MIDWEST DEMOCRATS

Although 2006 is shaping up to be a bad year for Republicans-- who have worked very very hard to achieve that-- the degree of lameness of the opposition could rescue GOP hopes and ambitions. Two potentially troublesome races for Democratic incumbents, however, look like they came off the table today. In case you missed today's GRAND FORKS HERALD, you can rest easy that extremely popular Democratic U.S. Senator Kent Conrad will not be challenged by even more popular Republican Governor John Hoeven. "A day may come when we ask the people of North Dakota to allow us to serve them in a different capacity, but that time is not now," Hoeven said Friday in a brief statement issued by his office. Hoeven said in an interview that he and his (female) wife, first lady Mikey Hoeven, decided against the race this week. "We're very focused on serving as governor and first lady, and we think the state is making real progress," Hoeven said. That is probably the last you will hear about North Dakota between now and election night, 2006.

A more troublesome race is for governor of Illinois, a blue state where incumbent Democrat Rod Blagojevich is not universally admired. According to today's Chicago Sun Times former Governor Jim Edgar, who would have had a good shot to beat Blagojevich, dashed GOP hopes today by declining to run. "Choking back sobs and wiping away tears, Edgar also said he will never entertain a return to politics again. 'Today I say "never." This is it,' Edgar said. 'This is my last political press conference.' Edgar’s decision leaves four announced candidates — Aurora dairy owner Jim Oberweis, North Side businessman Ron Gidwitz, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington and state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin. Other potential GOP candidates include state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett and former state Sen. Patrick O’Malley of Palos Park."

Oddly no one has brought up the candidate recruited by the Illinois Republican Party last year to run against Barack Obama for the open U.S. Senate seat, Alan Keyes. Keyes, who just endorsed the head of the Minute Men in an Orange County congressional race over 10 Republicans, may not even be a Republican anymore. He was probably unhappy that nearly as many registered Republicans voted for Obama as for him (including several outspoken GOP leaders).