Sen. Tom Harkin (D) has bad news for any Republicans holding out hope that he might call it quits after his fourth term expires in 2009.

The chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee still maintains that modern campaigns begin too early, but he said all anyone has to do is watch him to get an answer about his re-election plans.

“Everything tends to look like it’s going to be a good year for Democrats,” Harkin said in an interview last week. “But I’m working hard. I’ve got my organization together; I’m raising money, so I feel pretty good about where I am.”

It doesn’t hurt Harkin that Republicans have yet to entice a top-tier challenger into the race or that he began April with almost $2 million in the bank.
— Nicole Duran