Dems' Silent Fear: What if Reid Loses in 2010?

A Senate majority leader needs to 'think bigger'

(NEWSER) - The Senate may be dealing with weighty issues like health care reform, but its majority leader's biggest concern is his own political skin, writes Dana Milbank. Harry Reid's selfish focus on re-election is getting in the way of his larger duties, and it's time Democrats woke up to this reality. Yes, the good citizens of Nevada deserve attention, "but in a nation of 300 million, the Senate majority leader needs to think bigger." More»

Top Dem must get it done—and get himself re-elected in '10

(NEWSER) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has prided himself on his hands-off leadership style, but pretty soon he’s going to get those hands dirty, Politico reports. Reid will soon have to reconcile two radically different health care bills coming out of committee—as if that weren't enough, he’s up for reelection next year, and Republicans have made the Nevadan a top 2010 target. More»

Senators quietly maneuvering to move in if leader goes down

(NEWSER) - Capitol Hill housemates Charles Schumer and Richard Durbin are likely to end up fighting over a lot more than the breakfast cereal if Harry Reid loses his re-election battle. The senators from New York and Illinois, Reid's top two deputies, are subtly building support for bids to become majority leader—while publicly throwing their full support behind Reid, the New York Times reports. Schumer has donated $500,000 to the Nevada Democratic Party and Durbin has kicked in $50,000. More»

Latest trends show even Reid, Spector, Dodd in trouble: Silver

(NEWSER) - Things are looking brighter for Republicans in the Senate, writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com. In his monthly ranking of which seats are most likely to switch parties in 2010, Republicans have made a big move. Of the 10 seats that look more likely to switch hands, seven favor Republicans. “While there are still plenty of opportunities for Democrats,” he writes, “I believe that Republicans are now slightly more likely to gain seats.” More»

(NEWSER) - Harry Reid may have a tough time getting Nevadans to re-elect him in 2010, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. If the election were today, 45% would definitely vote against him and another 17% would consider it, a new poll shows. About a third of voters would keep the Senate majority leader in office. The GOP's main problem? It still doesn't have a viable candidate to run against him, notes the Review-Journal. More»