Menendez says GOP should be afraid

Democratic Senate campaign chief Robert Menendez (N.J.) sent a strong signal Thursday that he expected nothing less than more offense in the 2010 election cycle, as his party pursues 60 seats in the upper chamber.
 
At a press conference, Menendez noted there were five GOP-held open seats and promised strong Democratic challengers to incumbent Republican Sens. David Vitter (La.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Arlen Specter (Pa.) and Jim Bunning (Ky.).
 
{mosads}The new Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) chairman also said that all of his remaining incumbents will seek reelection in 2010.
 
He noted that, historically speaking, 2010 should be a tough year for Democrats, with an incumbent Democratic president and control of Congress. But he said that won’t be the case.
 
“It might be tempting to think that 2010 would be a tough year for Democrats, but even, I think, a cursory look at the map shows you that the fear has got to be on the other side of the aisle,” Menendez said.
 
He also criticized Republicans for signaling that they will go after Democrats for the current stimulus package, which has passed with almost no GOP support.
 
The stimulus has emerged as the first major campaign issue of the 2010 election cycle, which Menendez said prompted him to call a press conference so early in the cycle.
 
“The saddest and most dangerous thing is that they are betting against President Obama” and against the economic health of the nation, Menendez said. He called it a “recipe for failure.”
 
No Democratic incumbents were expected to leave their seats, but Menendez’s promise only means there won’t be open seats on top of the ones left by four members of the new administration — Obama, Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

In those seats, three of the four appointees could run for election, and all three face potential primary challenges.
 
Menendez said he would “assume” that all three – Sens. Michael Bennet (Colo.), Roland Burris (Ill.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) – will garner the support of the DSCC. Ted Kaufman of Delaware said he would not seek election to Biden’s seat.

Among those considered potential Democratic retirements were Sens. Daniel Inouye (Hawaii), Barbara Mikulski (Md.) and Christopher Dodd (Conn.). 

Republicans have five open seats to defend. Sens. Kit Bond (Mo.), Mel Martinez (Fla.), and George Voinovich (Ohio) are retiring, Sam Brownback (Kan.) is running for governor, and Judd Gregg (N.H.) was appointed Commerce secretary.