Oh, No! Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010...

...but some folks here have already started to talk about the U.S. mid-term elections for Congress some 51 weeks from now. 51 weeks: after the end of the year's holidays, the Superbowl, the day we file our income taxes, the crack of the bat at the beginning of the baseball season and the last out at the end of the World Series, hurricane season.
Join us for the romp. There will be maps and inevitably videos of some politicos putting feet in their mouths.

I am RealJohnboy from the mountains of Virginia. I am a 7 year veteran on A2K and a political junkie.
I try to report on stuff objectively but I am obliged to disclose that I am a Democrat.
I would like to appeal for civility but realize that will never happen.
I am too stupid or too busy to remember how to post charts and maps. If someone else would offer to do that, that would be cool. Thanks. -rjb

# 2 Overview of races

* 2.1 Retiring Democratic Senators
o 2.1.1 Roland Burris of Illinois
o 2.1.2 Ted Kaufman of Delaware
* 2.2 Retiring Republican Senators
o 2.2.1 Kit Bond of Missouri
o 2.2.2 Sam Brownback of Kansas
o 2.2.3 Jim Bunning of Kentucky
o 2.2.4 Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
o 2.2.5 George LeMieux of Florida
o 2.2.6 George Voinovich of Ohio
* 2.3 Democratic incumbents
o 2.3.1 Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas
o 2.3.2 Barbara Boxer of California
o 2.3.3 Michael Bennet of Colorado
o 2.3.4 Christopher Dodd of Connecticut
o 2.3.5 Daniel Inouye of Hawaii
o 2.3.6 Evan Bayh of Indiana
o 2.3.7 Barbara Mikulski of Maryland
o 2.3.8 Harry Reid of Nevada
o 2.3.9 Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
o 2.3.10 Chuck Schumer of New York
o 2.3.11 Byron Dorgan of North Dakota
o 2.3.12 Ron Wyden of Oregon
o 2.3.13 Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania
o 2.3.14 Patrick Leahy of Vermont
o 2.3.15 Patty Murray of Washington
o 2.3.16 Russ Feingold of Wisconsin
* 2.4 Republican incumbents
o 2.4.1 Richard Shelby of Alabama
o 2.4.2 Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
o 2.4.3 John McCain of Arizona
o 2.4.4 Johnny Isakson of Georgia
o 2.4.5 Mike Crapo of Idaho
o 2.4.6 Chuck Grassley of Iowa
o 2.4.7 David Vitter of Louisiana
o 2.4.8 Richard Burr of North Carolina
o 2.4.9 Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
o 2.4.10 Jim DeMint of South Carolina
o 2.4.11 John Thune of South Dakota
o 2.4.12 Bob Bennett of Utah

Retiring incumbents

At this point in time, 18 U.S. Representatives are voluntarily retiring from the House at the end of their current term.

Democratic incumbents

* Alabama's 7th congressional district: Artur Davis: To run for governor of Alabama.[8]
* Florida's 17th congressional district: Kendrick Meek: To run for the U.S. Senate.[9]
* Hawaii's 1st congressional district: Neil Abercrombie: To run for governor of Hawaii.[10]
* Louisiana's 3rd congressional district: Charlie Melancon: To run for the U.S. Senate.[11]
* New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district: Paul Hodes: To run for the U.S. Senate.[12]
* Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district: Joe Sestak: To run for the U.S. Senate.[13]

Republican incumbents

* Delaware's At-large congressional district: Michael Castle: To run for U.S. Senate.[14]
* Florida's 12th congressional district: Adam Putnam: To run for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture.[15]
* Georgia's 9th congressional district: Nathan Deal: To run for governor of Georgia.[16]
* Illinois's 10th congressional district: Mark Kirk: To run for U.S. Senate.[17]
* Kansas's 1st congressional district: Jerry Moran: To run for the U.S. Senate.[18]
* Kansas's 4th congressional district: Todd Tiahrt: To run for the U.S. Senate.[19]
* Michigan's 2nd congressional district: Pete Hoekstra: To run for governor of Michigan.[20]
* Missouri's 7th congressional district: Roy Blunt: To run for the U.S. Senate.[21]
* Oklahoma's 5th congressional district: Mary Fallin: To run for governor of Oklahoma.[22]
* Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district: Jim Gerlach: To run for governor of Pennsylvania.[23]
* South Carolina's 3rd congressional district: Gresham Barrett: To run for governor of South Carolina.[24]
* Tennessee's 3rd congressional district: Zach Wamp: To run for governor of Tennessee.[25]

My understanding is there will be a special election in January, 2010, for his seat in the Senate. That is why, on Cyclops' map, MA is dark blue, indicating 2 positions up for grabs. The successful candidate will hold office until Sen Kennedy was due up again for election in 2012 or 2014.
Please correct me if I am wrong.