1. Lamar Alexander- Born 07/03/1940. Conservative Rating: 71.5 (30th).
Lamar Alexander is serving his first term in the Senate and he will be 68 years old on election day in 2008. He has not really distinguished himself in his first term. Politically he has placed himself in the middle of the Republican pack. It seems likely that Harold Ford Jr. will make another run at him if he isn’t too focused on running the Democratic Leadership Council. That matchup would probably be a close one. However, there should be an opening for a Democrat that opposes the continuation of war in Iraq and that is willing to use the war as a way to criticize Alexander. Governor Phil Bredesen is extremely popular in the state and might be the best bet for a takeover of this seat.
2. Wayne Allard- Born 12/02/1943. Conservative Rating: 86.2 (10th)
Wayne Allard has announced his retirement. Here are Republicans rumored to be thinking about the race: Former Gov. Bill Owens, Former Reps. Scott McInnis, Bob Beauprez, and Bob Schaffer, Rep. Tom Tancredo, and Attorney General John Suthers.
The Democrats seem to have settled on Rep. Mark Udall, from the Boulder area. It’s tough for a Boulder area politician to win state-wide, but the state is trending blue. Udall would likely be a much more progressive voice than Sen. Ken Salazar.
3. Saxby Chambliss- Born 11/10/1943. Conservative Rating: 89.2 (9th)
Saxby Chambliss is serving his first term in the U.S. Senate. He famously beat Max Cleland by questioning his patriotism. He will be almost 65 on election day. He sits on:
• Armed Services
• Joint Committee on Printing
• Select Committee on Intelligence
• Rules and Administration
But he has hardly distinguished himself while he has been in the Senate.
4. Thad Cochran- Born 12/07/1937. Conservative Rating: 64.3 (41st)
5. Norm Coleman- Born 08/17/1949. Conservative Rating: 53.8 (51st)
6. Susan Collins- Born 12/07/1952. Conservative Rating: 47.5 (54th)
7. John Cornyn- Born 02/02/1952. Conservative Rating: 90.8 (Tied- 3rd)
8. Larry Craig- Born 07/20/1945. Conservative Rating: 81.7 (16th)
9. Elizabeth Dole- Born 07/29/1936. Conservative Rating: 80.7 (17th)
10. Pete Domenici- Born 05/07/1932. Conservative Rating: 75.3 (25th)
11. Michael Enzi- Born 02/01/1944. Conservative Rating: 89.5 (Tied 6th)
12. Lindsey Graham- Born 07/09/1955. Conservative Rating: 70.8 (33rd)
13. Chuck Hagel- Born 10/04/1946. Conservative Rating: 72.0 (29th)
14. James Inhofe- Born 11/17/1934. Conservative Rating: 89.3 (8th)
15. Mitch McConnell- Born 02/20/1942. Conservative Rating: 84.2 (12th)
16. Pat Roberts- Born 04/20/1936. Conservative Rating: 78.2 (21st)
17. Jeff Sessions- Born 12/24/1946. Conservative Rating: 90.5 (5th)
18. Gordon Smith- Born 05/25/1952. Conservative Rating: 54.0 (50th)
19. Ted Stevens- Born 11/18/1923. Conservative Rating: 64.0 (42nd)
20. John Sununu- Born 09/10/1964. Conservative Rating: 69.2 (37th)
21. John Warner- Born 02/18/1927. Conservative Rating: 55.3 (47th)
