West Virginia
Outlook: Solid Democratic
May 31, 2006 Update:
As long as Senator Robert Byrd stays healthy, he will be reelected easily.
March 27, 2006 Update:
Republicans may have a reasonably strong candidate in John Raese, who once came close to upending Senator Jay Rockefeller back in 1984, but Raese has been out of the spotlight for many years and has a great deal to prove before he is taken seriously. We continue to believe at this point taht the only person who can beat Senator Robert Byrd is Senator Robert Byrd, for health reasons. At the moment, that is not happening.
Update:
Senator Robert Byrd is poised to be re-elected in November. He has increased his lead over Republican challenger John Raese, and now leads 63 to 30 percent, according to a recent Rasmussen Report. Byrd is the longest-serving member of the US Senate and will be 89 years old as he begins his new term.
Alexander Covington, Crystal Ball Mid-Atlantic Regional Correspondent
Background
After much anticipation, Democratic Senator Robert Byrd, first elected in 1958, announced he is seeking another term, despite his 87 years of age.
He would have had a tough race, had Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito decided to give up her House seat and try for a promotion to the upper chamber. But with Capito decision to bide her time, Byrd looks secure, with no “name” Republicans in the field. Everything depends on Sen. Byrd’s health; as long as he is as fit as the fiddle he likes to play, this race will not be on the radar screen.