To start out with, in a mostly unsurprising development, Lynn Bartels of the Rocky Mountain News reports that U.S. Senator Ken Salazar, a Democrat, is not going to enter the race to become Colorado's next governor.

Rookie Sen. Ken Salazar told his inner circle of trusted advisers and friends he won't run for governor next year.

"Here's how I put it to them," Salazar said Tuesday. "I said, 'I have no intention to run for governor. There are other candidates out there who can do a great job as governor of Colorado.' "

In Ohio, the "I" word is starting to come up in relation to embattled and convicted GOP Governor Bob Taft. The Toledo Blade's James Drew and Steve Eder report.

If Gov. Bob Taft lied about when he first knew of the state's $50 million investment in rare coins with Tom Noe, lawmakers would pursue impeachment, the top House Democrat said yesterday.

"The legislature as a whole would demand accountability,'' said House Minority Leader Chris Redfern (D., Catawba Island). "Lying to the people of the state of Ohio would rise to such a level that most legislators would agree the governor should be held to account for that."

Mr. Redfern made his comments at a news conference after House Democrats met for 2 1/2 hours to discuss the possible impeachment of Mr. Taft. No decision was made, but the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission provided Mr. Redfern with a draft copy of articles of impeachment for "Robert Alphonso Taft II for misdemeanors in office."

Threats of impeachment can often hurt the impeachers more than the impeachee -- just think of Newt Gingrich's attempt to rid the country of Bill Clinton. I have a sneaking suspicion that this case might play out differently, however.

The Democrats apparently have another new candidate willing to make a challenge in an overwhelmingly Republican congressional district. The Omaha World-Herald's Robynn Tysver reports that 30 year old Democrat Scott Kleeb intends to seek the Democratic nomination to succeed retiring Rep. Tom Osborne (R) in a district President Bush won with 75% last year.

A Democrat finally has joined the race for Congress in Nebraska's 3rd District.

[...]

Kleeb, who opposes abortion and the death penalty, said that as a congressman he would work to improve agriculture markets and the district's infrastructure, including its schools, roads and hospitals.

He also said he supports ethanol, the Iraq war and efforts to find alternative energy. "Wind in the 3rd District is wonderful, it's huge and it's an untapped resource," Kleeb said.

[...]

In the fall of 1999, he enrolled in graduate school at Yale University, where he earned master's degrees in international relations and history.

He finished his doctoral thesis this summer - on the history of cattle ranching - and expects to earn his doctorate in history later this year.

There is no question that this race would be a long shot. Just the same it's never a bad idea to keep the other party on its heels by running a non-conventional candidate -- like a pro-life rancher with an M.A. -- and possibly Ph.D -- in the history of cattle ranching.

Finally, New London Submarine Base has been saved -- and thus so have the careers of Connecticut's three moderate Republican Representatives? Liz Sidoti has the story for the AP.

Overruling the Pentagon on two of its biggest requests, a commission reviewing base closings voted to keep open a shipyard and a submarine base in New England that military planners wanted to shut down.

The panel also spared three other major facilities, in Texas, California and Louisiana, against the Pentagon's wishes.

But it was New England that got arguably the biggest victories of the day: the commission voted to save two of the Navy's oldest facilities — the Portsmouth shipyard at Kittery, Maine, and Submarine Base New London in Connecticut. Together, the bases are considered economic engines of their region and elected officials from Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut lobbied intently for months to save them.

"Yahoo!" said Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn. "Submarine base New London lives, and I think that it will live forever."