Based on '06, moderate Republicans probably won't interested in trying to win the Repub. primary. Too much money is available from the right fringe, and to win the Repub primary the candidate will have to swing hard Right. Then in the general election Bean will again be allowed to occupy the center and almost all of the Left.

What's left is the right-wing, where there are several possibilities and lots of money. The opposition in '08 will likely come from the well-funded, Reagan-inspired, social conservatives ala Dave McSweeney again. The trouble with that for the Republicans is that nobody but Reagan has Reagan's charisma. Plus, they are looking back instead of forward. Anyway, my opinion (again, no hard facts) is that McSweeney will not try again. He dumped major coin into this race against a first term Dem. in a right-leaning district and couldn't pull it out. He's the type of rich candidate who doesn't really want to serve the public, he wants to be a powerful Washington politician. Also, he sure looked unhappy campaigning.

But who else? Very hard to gueass right now. The Salvis (husband and wife) still have lots of money, and plenty of ego. We'll see...

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