Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan’s unexpected announcement today that he will retire at the end of this Congress hands Republicans one of their best opportunities to pick up a Democratic-held seat in 2010.
Republican Gov. John Hoeven has spent the last few months contemplating a challenge to the incumbent. And, now that the seat is open, Hoeven may find the race too good to pass up. The Governor is arguably the most popular politician in the state. He won a third term in 2008 with 74 percent of the vote, running 21 points ahead of GOP presidential nominee John McCain, who took 53 percent.
Even if Hoeven were to forego the race for some reason, it is likely that Republicans will field a very strong contender.
Democrats, though, will have a tougher time fielding a strong candidate, especially if Hoeven runs. Party leaders are likely to put significant pressure on At-Large Democratic Rep. Earl Pomeroy to run, but he may not be an ideal candidate. The current political environment has taken a toll on Pomeroy’s poll numbers and he has struggled
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