Incumbent

Very disruptive new regulation are coming to the telecom sector. Incumbents will suffer, both former PTTs and mobile operators. Dominant operators are finally attacked. The synergistic benefits of running an integrated operator will be spread among all service providers. The stranglehold that mobile operators hold on the market may end too. Here are two of the most significant regulatory

SLAWI - Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi (MK) yang mencabut pasal 58 poin q UU 12 Tahun 2008 tentang perubahan kedua atas UU 32 Tahun 2004 tentang Pemerintahan Daerah kemungkinan tidak akan berlaku bagi beberapa daerah yang telah melewati tahap pencalonan Pilkada. Termasuk di Kabupaten Tegal.Bupati H Agus Riyanto SSos MM dan Wakil Bupati HM Hammam Miftah SAg MM yang terlanjur mengundurkan diri tertangg

This is a funny post I ran across originally posted on 11/17/06 when I first started gearing up for the 2008 election. Of course it wasn't designed to be funny at the time and it's only really funny today because it tells you exactly how quickly things can change in politics... First Elected: 1990 2002 Result: 65% to 33% over Alan Blinken 2004 Presidential Result: Bush 69% Kerry 30% Possible Challengers: No frontrunners at this time Front Page: Larry who? Larry Craig. A social conservative from a socially conservative state. Also a fiscal conservative who is known as a big advocate for a constitutional amendment for a balanced federal budget. He also gained some notariety by posting every earmark he had inserted into spending bills onto his Senate website. It's the sort of thing you can

What are the most desired management abilities for Future Executives (and incumbent leaders, too, if you ask me)?According to Right Management Consultants, they are as follows: Motivate and engage others Communicate effectively, strategically, and interpersonally Think strategically Lead change Create a performance organization Sure, these elements make sense, but let's make them relevant to you and your world. Therefore, What will you do to better motivate and engage others - today? What will you do to improve how effectively, strategically, and interpersonally you communicate - today? What will you think more strategically about - today? What will you do to more assertively lead change - today? What will you do to actually create that performance organization you've been talking about - today?!Think about it - and then do something desirably executive-like - today - whether you're an incumbent leader, or not.

First Elected: 1984 2002 Result: 54% to 44% over Greg Ganske 2004 Presidential Result: Bush 50% Kerry 49% Possible Challengers: No frontrunners at this time Front Page: Harkin is your classic populist blue collar Democrat from a fairly populist state. Certainly there is not a lot of hollywood/netroots type liberals in Iowa. It's more your working class union types that vote Democrat. While Iowa is certainly a swing state, Harkin would appear to have a big edge by being a well known Senator with no real well known challenger. On the flip side, Harkin is not exactly popular either. The latest SUSA Senate shows him only at 51% (compared to the Senior Iowa Senator Charles Grassley (R) at 60%). So I would expect that the Republicans will make some sort of effort to go after this seat. Recruitment of a solid challenger will be the key to whether or not this is a close race or a laugher.

First Elected: 1996 2002 Result: 60% to 38% over Jim Durkin 2004 Presidential Result: Kerry 55% Bush 44% Possible Challengers: No frontrunners at this time Front Page: The current Democratic Whip is not considered to be in serious danger. In fact, the only people mentioned as serious challengers are from his own party and that is not likely to happen. Durbin is a liberal's liberal and one of the few who voted 'against' the Iraqi war. That being said, he is only riding a 51% approval in a pretty blue state. Durbin got some unwanted publicity back in 2005 when he compared the practices used by our military to those used by Nazis in the infamous gulags camps. Pretty much everyone and their cousin demanded Durbin apologize, and after refusing for some time, he eventually heeded the calls and did so... tears and all. The Nazi/gulag ordeal may contribute to his lack of huge approval numbers today, but will likely not have any impact on 2008.

First Elected: 1990 2002 Result: 65% to 33% over Alan Blinken 2004 Presidential Result: Bush 69% Kerry 30% Possible Challengers: No frontrunners at this time Front Page: Larry who? Larry Craig. A social conservative from a socially conservative state. Also a fiscal conservative who is known as a big advocate for a constitutional amendment for a balanced federal budget. He also gained some notariety by posting every earmark he had inserted into spending bills onto his Senate website. It's the sort of thing you can do when you win by 30 points or more. He is in his sixties, but there is no talk at this point of retirement. There doesn't appear to be any talk of a strong challenge from either within or outside of the party. Barring some minor miracle, he will win reelection comfortably.

First Elected: 2002 2002 Result: 53% to 46% over Max Cleland 2004 Presidential Results: Bush 58% Kerry 41% Possible Challengers: Shirley Franklin, Jim Marshall Front Page: Most certainly most known for the 2002 campaign where he went hard at Vietnam Veteran Max Cleland over national security issues. Some of the ads that drew the most fire showed images of Cleland with Osama Bin Laden and Suddam Hussien. Cleland is a triple amputee and many believed he was entitled to more respect on the matter. That being said, Cleland won the state in large part because of a tough stance on these national security measures, proving that politics is certainly not for the faint of heart. The latest October Senate approval polling from SUSA show the Senator with a plus 7 at 47% to 40%. This is lukewarm support at best, but much will depend on how the national political climate evolves over the next couple of years. There is no question that the Democrats will go after this seat in a big way. I would

First Elected: 1972 2002 Result: 58% to 41% over Raymond J. Clatworthy 2004 Presidential Result: Kerry 53% Bush 46% Possible Challengers Beau Biden (D), Michael Castle (R) Front Page: Joe Biden has announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination for the Presidency in 2008, although he has not yet officially created his exploratory committee. If he decides to step down to concentrate on the Presidency his own flesh and blood Beau Biden is being mentioned as a possible replacement. Under normal circumstance, Delaware with Joe Biden would be considered a safe seat pretty much immune from any challenge. However Michael Castle is a popular Republican congressman who was a two term Governor as well. The trouble for the GOP is that Castle is well into his sixties and would be close to 70 by November of 2008. But if he runs and Biden steps down to run for President then we could have a very competitive race on our hands.

First Elected 1996 2002 Result: 51% to 46% over Tom Strickland 2004 Presidential Result: Bush 52% Kerry 47% Possible Challengers: Republican Tom Tancredo, Democrats Mark Udall, Tom Strickland Recap: Congressman Tancredo will not challenge Allard, but will likely make a run if the Senator retires as some expect him to do (he will be 65 in 2008). Wayne Allard is a socially conservative Republican who may be most famous for authoring the Federal Marriage Amendment. His retirement may hinge on his popularity and chances for reelection more than anything else. Colorado is one of those battleground states that has leaned Republican but may lean towards a more moderate Democrat over the socially conservative Allard in today's political climate. Either way look for the Democrats to make a run at this seat. Tom Strickland has lost to Allard two elections in a row by the exact same margin of 51%-46%. I am sure he would like to reverse that number. Democrats may be determined to try some fresh

First Elected: 2002 2002 Result: 54% to 46% over (Inc) Tim Hutchinson 2004 Presidential Result: Bush 54% Kerry 45% Possible Challengers: No frontrunners at this time Recap: A moderate Democrat in the mold of the 2006 candidates who did so well for the Democrats. He is a social conservative who opposes abortion and is fairly fiscally conservative to boot. Pryor was part of the "Gang of 14" who ended the filibuster fiasco on judicial judges. Pryor is fairly popular in the state and will probably be favored given the advantages of incumbency. On the other hand, Arkansas is still a pretty red state and Pryor is a first term Senator who didn't win by any landslide in 2002. I would be surprised if the GOP does not make some sort of run at this seat.

First Elected: 1968 2004 Result: 78% to 11% over Frank Vondersaar 2004 Presidential result: Bush 61% Kerry 36% Possible Challengers: No frontrunners at this time. Recap: Ted Stevens is the current president pro tempore of the Senate. In other words he is the longest serving Senator in the Majority Party and technically is supposed to preside over the Senate when the Vice President is not available to do so. Also, Ted Stevens is legally 3rd in line for the Presidency if something were to happen to Bush, Cheney, and Dennis Hastert. (Raise your hand if you never heard of the guy who is third in line to the Presidency? Go ahead, raise it.) This of course will change when the Democrats take control in 2007 and Robert Byrd will take over as president pro tempore. Many think that Ted Stevens will step down and leave this seat open. Anytime you have an open seat, it makes it interesting, but Alaska is still a pretty red state and probably not at the top of the list for the Democrats.

First Elected: 1996 2004 Result: 59% to 40% over Susan Parker 2004 Presidential Result: Bush 63% Kerry 37% Possible Challengers: Congressman Artur Davis Recap: Sessions is a conservative's conservative. He is conservative on social issues, conservative on immigration, conservative on foreign policy, and conservative on taxes and fiscal matters. Of course Alabama is a conservative state which is part of the reason why he is looking for his fourth term. His undying support of the Iraqi war may come back to bite him if the war is still the same sort of an issue that it is today. The Democrats will put this seat on their radar, but I wouldn't expect that they would have real high hopes at this point in time. NOTE: This is the first of many profiles of incumbent Senators and Governors who are either retiring or running for reelection in 2008. I've decide to simply go in Alphabetical order and get the basics up early so there is less to do 18 months from now.