New Jersey: Booker Leads Lautenberg in New Poll

Lautenberg, above, trailed Booker in a new poll. (CQ Roll Call File Photo)

In a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, Newark Mayor Cory Booker led Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg by 22 points in a hypothetical 2014 Democratic Senate primary matchup.

Among “self-identified Democrats and Democratic leaners,” 42 percent preferred Booker, while 20 percent favored Lautenberg. The two men both have high name identification, with 83 percent identifying Lautenberg and 75 percent saying they knew who Booker was.

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Report: Obama Campaign Restructure to Assist Policy Push in Second Term

A crowd celebrates in front of the White House to celebrate President Barack Obama's re-election on Election Night. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

President Barack Obama’s campaign is set to be reconfigured into an operation that will assist the White House’s policy goals in a second term, CNN reported on Thursday.

Citing a source familiar with the campaign, CNN reported that the operation could be converted to a 501(c)(4) or a super PAC. The restructured organization will be led by former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina and other top operatives from the campaign, including Stephanie Cutter and Jennifer O’Malley Dillon. Full story

Massachusetts: Barney Frank Continues His Push to be Appointed Senator

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank amped up his push to be appointed interim senator Wednesday night, arguing that his experience made him uniquely qualified for the position.

In an interview on the MSNBC program, “Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell,” the Democrat said the next three months on Capitol Hill may be “as important a set of three months as we’ve had since the New Deal” and argued he was best person to represent the Bay State during that time.

“That’s why I volunteered,” he said. “And I did have people say, ‘Well, you’re not supposed to volunteer.’ And, frankly, my view is that’s kind of junior high school stuff. The difference between me and a number of other people who want to be the interim senator are I’ve said so publicly and the rest are being coy.” Full story

New Mexico: Jon Barela Keeping Name Out of GOP’s Senate Hat

There's no challenger on the horizon yet for Sen. Tom Udall. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

New Mexico Republican Jon Barela said he is not planning to challenge Democratic Sen. Tom Udall in 2014.

In a statement to CQ Roll Call, the former congressional candidate and current secretary of the state’s Economic Development Department said running for Senate is not in his plans — at least not at the moment.

“I am focused on working to make New Mexico a more competitive place to do business and continue to drive the state’s unemployment numbers down,” Barela said. “Though I have been encouraged by many New Mexicans to run, I have no plans at this point in doing so.” Full story

New Mexico: Heather Wilson Has Run Her Last Race

Former Rep. Heather Wilson (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Former New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson has seen her last political race.

The Republican, who lost to now-Sen. Martin Heinrich in 2012, told CQ Roll Call on Monday that her second failed Senate bid in four years would be her last run for public office.

“I’ve done my time, and it’s not my intention to run for office again,” Wilson said. “So I’m moving on to other things, most likely higher education. I’ll probably also likely serve on some corporate boards.” Full story

Montana: Denny Rehberg Done With Politics

Former Rep. Denny Rehberg (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Former Rep. Denny Rehberg told the Billings Gazette last week that he will not run for office again.

After six terms in the House, the Montana Republican lost his challenge to Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in November. It was Rehberg’s second Senate defeat, after challenging Democratic Sen. Max Baucus in 1996.

“I made the determination before [the 2012 race] that it would be up or out,” Rehberg said in an interview with the newspaper. “As it turned out, it was out.”

Baucus is up for re-election again this cycle and is definitely running. Tester survived by 4 points in the 2012 election, despite a 13-point victory in the state by GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

New Jersey: Booker Says Lautenberg Has ‘Got a Decision to Make’

Booker has announced his intention to run for a seat in the Senate. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Newark Mayor Cory Booker said Monday morning that Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg has “got a decision to make” on whether to retire.

The comment, made on CNN’s “Starting Point,” is acknowledgment that the Senate field is far more complicated than he projected during his Senate exploratory announcement. Booker’s candidacy as it stands is a primary challenge of a longtime Democratic incumbent. Lautenberg has yet to announce his retirement, and few in New Jersey have any idea on what he will do.

“I want to give him the space to make his own decision,” Booker said. “I’ve announced my intention to run, but the reality is we’ve got a good Senator. He’s been loyal. He’s been there for a long time. And I think he’s got a decision to make.”

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Massachusetts: Lynch Still Weighing Bid for Senate

Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Stephen F. Lynch said Wednesday night that he is still considering a special election run for the Senate, eyeing the seat expected to be vacated by Secretary of State nominee John Kerry.

“I am giving serious consideration to a run for the United States Senate and am grateful for the support and encouragement I have received in recent days,” he said in a statement to CQ Roll Call. “As we await Senator Kerry’s confirmation hearings, I will continue to weigh my options and decide the best way to serve our communities.”

National Democrats — and Kerry himself — have worked to clear the Democratic field for the dean of the Bay State congressional delegation, Rep. Edward J. Markey, who plans to run. But that effort has, so far, been unsuccessful, with Lynch, Rep. Michael E. Capuano and state Sen. Benjamin Downing all still considering a bid. Full story

Reading the Tea Leaves for 2014 and Beyond in Cliff Vote

Capito, the only House member currently running for Senate in 2014, voted no on the fiscal cliff bill. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Late-night votes on the fiscal cliff package capped off New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day this week — and delivered the first politically significant vote of the 2014 cycle.

That’s especially true for House Republicans fearful of possible primary challenges this cycle. A host of conservative organizations, including the Club for Growth and Family Research Council, encouraged Republicans to vote against the deal that raised taxes on wealthy Americans and made the Bush-era tax cuts permanent. The House passed the fiscal cliff bill with bipartisan support, but the majority of House Republicans voted against it.

To be sure, this bill probably will not cost members as much politically as, for example, votes for the Troubled Asset Relief Program in 2008 or the president’s health care overhaul in 2010. Still, it’s the first major vote of the 2014 cycle, and politicians looking for a promotion took note: Full story

Massachusetts: State Democratic Party Hires Northwind Strategies

Outgoing Sen. Scott Brown has not said whether he will run in an expected special election this year, but Democrats are already gearing up for the fight. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Massachusetts Democratic Party has retained Northwind Strategies — the firm that advised Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren’s 2012 campaign — to help with its coordinated effort in the expected Senate special election this year.

The move means Doug Rubin, an operative at the firm close to Warren and Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, will not be advising a candidate in the Democratic primary, but rather will be helping with strategy for whoever is the Democratic nominee.

Democratic Sen. John Kerry’s expected confirmation to be secretary of State appears likely to set up a special election that could happen as early as June.

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Minnesota: Paulsen Senate Bid Not So ‘Ridiculous’ After All

Republicans are searching for a candidate willing to challenge Sen. Al Franken in 2014. (Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 8:01 p.m. | For a brief period on Wednesday it appeared Republicans could count Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., out of the race against Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., in 2014.

“No, that’s ridiculous,” Paulsen said, when Minnesota Public Radio asked him about running. However, the MPR report was updated later with a clarification from the congressman’s office. His use of the word “ridiculous” wasn’t in reference to the Senate race after all. It had to do with his vote on the fiscal cliff deal. Here’s MPR’s update:

Paulsen’s office says his use of the word “ridiculous” wasn’t about running for Senate. A spokesman says Paulsen used the word in the context to the preface of the question that mentioned Paulsen’s “no” vote on the fiscal cliff deal before asking whether he was running for Senate.

Republicans have talked up Paulsen, as well as his colleague Rep. John Kline, as potential Franken challengers. Neither Republican has ruled out a bid publicly.

Meanwhile, Kline “continues to keep all options on the table,” according to his spokesman, Troy Young.

In 2008, Franken won one of the closest Senate races in decades following a lengthy recount. He has indicated that he plans to seek re-election next year.

CQ Roll Call rates this race as Leans Democratic.

Massachusetts: National Democrats Coalesce Behind Markey

National Democrats moved swiftly on Friday to close ranks behind Rep. Edward J. Markey as their candidate to run to succeed Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry upon his confirmation as the next secretary of State.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Michael Bennet of Colorado released a statement endorsing Markey shortly after Kerry did the same on Friday afternoon.

“Ed Markey always remembers where he came from and will continue the hard work needed to turn our economy around,” Bennet said. “He is exactly the kind of leader Massachusetts needs in the U.S. Senate.” Full story

Markey Running for Senate in Massachusetts

Rep. Edward J. Markey has decided to run for Senate. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Massachusetts Rep. Edward J. Markey on Thursday became the first prominent Democrat to announce his intention to run in the expected special election to replace Democrat John Kerry, who was nominated last week to be the next Secretary of State.

The Boston Globe first reported that Markey will seek the seat but not the temporary appointment by Gov. Deval Patrick, who is likely to select a caretaker until a special election can be held.

“With Senator Kerry’s departure, Massachusetts voters will decide once again whether we want a Senator who will fight for all our families or one who supports a Republican agenda that benefits only the powerful and well-connected,” Markey said in a statement. He already has a Senate campaign website up. Full story

Massachusetts: Long Line for Special Senate Election

Brown, above, could run in the special election that will be held to succeed Kerry, who has been tapped by Obama to serve as secretary of State. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. John Kerry’s nomination for secretary of State will open the flood gates of ambitious Bay State Democrats looking to succeed him.

In fact, the list of potential Democratic candidates grew in the week leading up to today’s White House confirmation that President Barack Obama would nominate the Foreign Relations Committee chairman and five-term senator to the post.

Three longtime Democratic members of the Massachusetts House delegation — Reps. Michael E. Capuano, Stephen F. Lynch and Edward J. Markey — have expressed interest in the Senate seat. Markey has even polled the race, according to the Boston Globe. Earlier this week, Boston media outlets reported businessman Edward M. Kennedy Jr. — the son of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. — is also interested in running.

The winner of the Democratic nomination could face exiting Sen. Scott P. Brown, R-Mass., who lost re-election last month, in what many national operatives believe would be a competitive race. A Brown aide told Roll Call earlier this week that it’s too early to speculate on another run. Brown’s father died on Thursday, and the Republican was in Massachusetts on Friday and unavailable for comment.

And then there’s actor and director Ben Affleck.

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New Jersey: Booker Explores Senate Bid

Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker is exploring a run for the Senate seat held by Democratic Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg. Booker posted a video with an announcement Thursday morning.