2010 United States Senate election in Connecticut

The 2010 Connecticut United States Senate election will be held on November 2, 2010 along other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Background

First elected in 1980, Christopher Dodd, the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Connecticut history, announced in a letter to the Federal Election Commission on January 17, 2007 that he was no longer a candidate for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2010. However, this may just have been a technicality in order to transfer funds to his presidential campaign as the declaration could be reversed at any time. A Dodd spokesman said, "It's a legality that isn't an indication of future plans." Dodd's campaign for the presidency was not successful, so it is possible that he will run for the Senate again. According to Republican Lieutenant Governor Michael Fedele, Republican Governor Jodi Rell is likely running for re-election in 2010, so it is unlikely that either will run for the Senate.

Dodd's previously unassailable electoral position in Connecticut may have deteriorated for two reasons since his last re-election. His poor performance in his bid for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination appears to have soured local voters. That poll, showing Dodd's job approval at 51% was taken before revelations that Dodd received mortgage loans as part of the "Friends of Angelo" program run by subprime mortgage lender Countrywide Financial. The Hartford Courant has reported Dodd has taken a "major credibility hit" from this scandal. A later poll in September 2008 showed Dodd's job approval declining to 43%, with 46% terming his job performance as "fair" or "poor".

In December 2008, it was reported that Dodd had a little less than $568,000 banked for a re-election campaign, far less than other senators anticipated to seek re-election. In Janaury 2009, Hartford Business Journal columnist Dean Pagani reported that many political leaders believed Dodd could be persuaded to retire so as to preserve his "senior statesman" legacy.

Candidates

Should Dodd seek re-election in 2010 despite the scandal, possible Republican candidates other than Rell or Fedele would include former Congressman Rob Simmons; former Associate U.S. Attorney General Kevin J. O'Connor; State Senator John P. McKinney; State Senator Sam Caligiuri, or House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero.

On February 7, 2009 Simmons was quoted as considering forming an exploratory committee against Dodd. [2]

Outgoing Congressman Chris Shays, who was defeated in 2008, indicated he would not run for his former Congressional seat, but would not rule out a run for the Senate.

In addition, a movement (seconded by yet another movement ) has been started to draft Peter Schiff of Darien, the former financial advisor to Ron Paul's 2008 Republican Primary campaign, to run for the seat. . When asked, he said he has "no idea" whether he will run, but refused to rule out the possibilty.