West Virginia's Robert Byrd, who will become the longest serving Senator in US history next summer, hasn't had too much trouble raising money for his possible reelection bid -- he raised $1.16 million with the help of Barack Obama and MoveOn.org -- but he still faces some real challenges should he run for a ninth term. Therese Smith Cox has the story for the Charleston Daily Mail:

A new poll shows Sen. Robert Byrd and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito would run neck and neck in a possible campaign for the Senate seat now held by Byrd.

An RMS Strategies Poll released today reports that 46 percent of 401 registered voters in West Virginia would vote for Byrd if the election were held now.

A total of 43 percent picked Capito, R-W.Va., though she has not announced her intention to run.

And 11 percent said they were undecided -- a percentage that could sway the vote either way.

This is a seat the Democrats cannot afford to lose should they want any shot at reclaiming the Senate in 2006 (let alone pick up seats in the mid-term). Byrd has not faced a serious campaign in decades, but it's a little early to count him out. That having been said, 46% is no comfortable place for an incumbent. It might be a long 18 months in the Mountain state.