West Virginia

By every indication, Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) will seek an unprecendented ninth term next fall, and already polling has emerged that shows him to be in a relatively safe position. Beth Gorczyca writes up the details of the survey for The State Journal.

If the 2006 United States Senate election were held right now, incumbent Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., likely would win in a race against potential opponent U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. according to a poll recently released by Charleston-based RMS Strategies.

Byrd, 87, was expected to announce his plans this week to run for a record ninth consecutive term, but he decided to delay his announcement because of recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina, as well as the funeral for U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, which was scheduled for Sept. 7.

According to the poll, about 55 percent of registered voters in West Virginia said they would support Byrd in the election. Only 39 percent said they would support Capito.

Capito long has been touted as a potential opponent to Byrd in next year's election. But the two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives has not made a formal announcement whether she will run.

In other data from the poll, Byrd's favorable rating stands at 72% and his approval rating is a sky-high 75%. Although West Virginia appears to be a solidly Republican state on the Presidential level, at least for now the shift from the Democratic Party to the GOP has clearly yet to take hold on the Congressional level.

Rhode Island

Out of Rhode Island comes word that the primary challenge of the year will indeed be duked out as Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey plans to challenge moderate Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee. The Associated Press reports.

Stephen Laffey, the outspoken mayor of Rhode Island's second-largest city, announced Thursday he plans to challenge fellow Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee in the 2006 Senate race.

[...]

Laffey said Thursday he wanted to give the smallest state in the union "the strongest voice in Washington" and promised to fight big drug companies, big oil companies and special interests, and work for a fairer tax code.

Chafee, a moderate who represents a heavily Democratic state, was mayor of Warwick before he was appointed to the Senate in 1999 after his father, Sen. John Chafee, died. He was elected to a six-year term in 2000.

National Republican leaders have supported Chafee, and other state Republicans have said little publicly about Laffey's expected entry into the race. However, last month, Robert Manning, the party's national committeeman in Rhode Island, said he did not want national party funds spent on candidates until after the primary.

This is going to be a tough fight for Chafee, though most probably still view him as an odds-on favorite to win his party's nomination -- though winning in the general election might be another story all together.

Oklahoma

Michael McNutt reports for The Oklahoman that the GOP might finally have its candidate to challenge popular Democratic Governor Brad Henry.

U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook says he is leaning more toward running for governor after meeting recently with about 35 Republican state legislators.
Istook, R-Warr Acres, also has met with other GOP lawmakers, business leaders, party leaders and supporters.

He wants to talk with colleagues this week in Washington and plans to make a decision within a month.

“Almost universally, people tell me it’s doable, I should do it and they’re very excited about my doing it,” he said. “That last part is what has most surprised and humbled me.”

Several legislators who attended a recent lunch with the 13-year congressman said an Istook gubernatorial candidacy would give the Republicans a candidate with statewide name recognition to oppose the popular incumbent, Brad Henry, a Democrat who is enjoying 60 percent to 70 percent support in various polls.

[...]

Several legislators who met with Istook said they are concerned a decision by Istook to leave the U.S. House of Representatives would hurt the state in getting helpful federal legislation and leave Istook’s 5th Congressional District - a Republican stronghold for decades - vulnerable for a Democrat to win.

Henry will have a tough time winning reelection in this overwhelmingly Republican state should Istook indeed jump in the race. However, Henry was able to eke out a victory in 2002 against the Republican national tide, so I wouldn't put anything past him.