Subject: Chris Coons, Jon Tester eye DSCC chairmanship - Burgess Everett - POLITICO.com
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http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/chris-coons-jon-tester-dscc-chair-112641.html?hp=l5

Chris Coons, Jon Tester eye DSCC chairmanship

They're weighing runs for the chairmanship of the DSCC. | AP Photos

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The contest to lead Senate Democrats’ 2016 electoral offensive heated up on Thursday, as two contenders emerged for the chance to lead the offensive against Republicans defending seats in blue states across the nation.

Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Jon Tester of Montana are weighing runs for the chairmanship of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, their Democratic sources confirmed.

And as Coons and Tester emerged as early DSCC aspirants, two more Democrats joined New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and took their names out of consideration: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of the party’s progressive wing, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, a red-state winner in 2012.
(PHOTOS: Pols cast their ballots on Election Day 2014)

Still, Coons and Tester entertaining the grueling DSCC represents an uptick in interest from previous years, when Democrats faced daunting defensive missions in red states, including this year’s uphill battle led by Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet. Hillary Clinton’s potential atop the ticket is another draw; Democrats believe that scenario would bolster Democrats’ chances to take Senate seats in places like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Tester vanquished a spirited and well-funded challenge from former Rep. Denny Rehberg in 2012, knocked off longtime GOP Sen. Conrad Burns in 2006, and, before that, helped add seats to his party’s state legislature as Democratic leader of the state Senate. But Tester would also have to balance his work as a farmer back home with a daunting travel schedule from Montana to political hot spots in D.C. and New York; Coons’ home state of Delaware is positioned more conveniently.

Fresh off his reelection campaign — one of the few Democratic bright spots on Tuesday — Coons said his interest in campaigning has been rejuvenated. Still, he is weighing whether he’s ready to take on a job focused at knocking out colleagues that he’s sought to work with on legislation.

(Follow 2014 midterm elections results)

“I am considering different ways that I can contribute to the caucus,” Coons said Wednesday afternoon. “To take on the DSCC role would be a more partisan role than I’ve been in in the past. But I enjoy campaigning, I enjoy recruiting candidates.”

Though there are only days before next week’s leadership election, neither is making as aggressive a play as Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi is for the Republican job, partially because Democratic leadership has not picked a favorite for the DSCC and the Democratic field is not entirely settled. There are several senators who have not yet divulged whether they might be interested in the Democratic job, such as Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.