[GraniteStateConservative]

JR, do you have any thoughts as to why Edgar and Dunn and Rice have not bet on coattails and agreed to run?

[AntiGuv]

IMHO, I think they recognize that Bush won't likely have coattails in their homestate of Washington. According to what I've seen from the local media, the 2002 election results are thought to have underscored that.

[AntiGuv]

Make that homestates of Washington & Illinois - I read that so fast I thought you were talking about three potential Murray challengers at first.

Regarding Edgar in particular, he apparently demanded a guarantee of funding levels from the NRSC that wasn't forthcoming, and so that evidently played the greater role in his decision.

I'm uncertain which Rice you're referring to? Do you mean Condoleezza Rice possibly running against Boxer? If so, I think she'd much rather be National Security Advisor and a frontrunner for the 2008 VP spot than risk it all on a highly competitive Senate challenge.