It's interesting, we are still more than a year from the next election, and in many states the challengers are already in place. It's not just the presidential elections that are getting pushed up.
I'm not an expert about any state, I merely did a search on Google news for news in every state.
Democrats vs. Republican incumbents
- Alabama: Jim Folsom Jr., the Governor from 1993-94 is listed as the Democratic candidate on politics1 and DCpoliticalreport, but he hasn't put up a website that I can find, and a search on Google News finds no stories about him campaigning.
- Alaksa: Tony Knowles, the Governor from 1994-02 is the only candidate for the Democratic nomination, appointed Senator Lisa Murkowski has united much of the Republican party behind her, but still looks to face a primary challenge.
- Arizona, no serious Democratic candidate has come forward to challenge John McCain, and I don't think any will.
- Colorado, Republican incumbent Ben Nighthorse Campbell has again stated recently that he will run again and has upped his number of campaign fundraising appearances, despite announcing that he is in the early stages of prostate cancer (we all wish him the best). National and state Democrats are putting the full court press on Representative Mark Udall.
- Idaho, no Democrat has come forward
- Iowa, Politics1 and DCPolitical Report both list State Secretary of State John Culver and Lieutenant Governor Sally Pederson as possible Democratic candidates. Neither of them seem to be actively campaigning.
- Kansas, The state party says that 2 people are looking at running but won't name them.
- Kentucky, Fred Cowan, the State Attorney General from 1987-91 is the only announced Democrat so far. Democrats are focusing on the 2003 Governors race right now. The Republican incumbent, Jim Bunning, has already raised more than $2 million for the race.
- Missouri, Democrats have united behind State Treasurer Nancy Farmer. She has an uphill fight taking on Republican incumbent Chris Bond who has already raised over $5 million. She could be sideswiped by the potentially divisive primary between incumbent Democratic Governor Bob Holden and State Auditor Claire McCaskill.
- New Hampshire, The only announced Democrat is long time State Senator Burt Cohen.
- Ohio, State Senator and former one term Congressman Eric Fingerhut is the likely Democratic candidate to face near certain defeat against Republican George Voinovich. That said, Voinovich was elected in a suprisingly tight race in 1998.
Fingerhut,who is only in his early 40's, is most likely doing what I'm surprised more up and coming candidates don't do: using the Senate race to increase his name recognition and campaigning skills in order to run for another office in a few years. Mark Warner in Virginia did this effectively in a Senate race against incumbent John Warner, and is now the state's governor.
- Pennsylvania, 2 serious Democratic candidates are in the running: Congressman Joe Hoeffel and wealthy software developer Charlie Crystal. The Republicans also have a competitive primary with Congressman Pat Toomey, backed by the "Club For Growth" taking on incumbent Arlen Spector.
- Utah. Former State Attorney General Paul Van Dam,65 has recently announced he plans to run against incumbent Robert Bennett.