WASHINGTON Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell is reported by party sources to be considering a race for the Senate in 2010 even if his friend and fellow Philadelphian, Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, seeks re-election. Specter has indicated that he wants a sixth term in the Senate, but that may depend on his health. He is suffering from a recurrence of cancer. Republican insiders believe that Specter might decide to run as an independent if conservatives launch another serious Republican primary campaign against him, as they did in 2004. A three-way election would all but guarantee the election of a Democrat. Obama’s veep? Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a strong favorite to be elected to the Senate this year, has told associates that he is being considered as Barack Obama’s vice presidential running mate. He did not indicate whether he would be receptive to such an offer. Removing Warner from the campaign for the seat now held by retiring Republican Sen. John Warner (no relation) would turn a sure Democrat takeover to a question mark. Mark Warner is heavily favored against the Republican nominee, former Gov. Jim Gilmore, but no substitute Democrat candidate is at hand. Although no Democrat presidential nominee has carried Virginia since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, Democrats see the state as being in play for the 2008 election. McCain’s lobbyist The embarrassing dismissal from Sen. John McCain’s campaign of former Rep. Tom Loeffler as a top fundraiser because he is a lobbyist is blamed by political insiders on one of the many mistakes made when the McCain organization was put together. Loeffler has been one of Washington’s powerhouse lobbyists for many years, but he never has been renowned for fundraising skills. His most visible lobbying client has been the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Liddy Dole in trouble Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, who previously was thought to be fairly safe for re-election this year, has become one of the top Democrat targets among incumbent Republican senators. Only John Sununu in New Hampshire and Norm Coleman in Minnesota are considered more vulnerable. Two separate independent polls show Dole leading the Democrat nominee, state Sen. Kay Hagan, by only five and four points, respectively. Sen. Barack Obama at the top of the Democrat ticket is expected to bring out a big African-American vote for Hagan. Why Fossella stays Hard-pressed House Republican campaign managers breathed a sigh of relief when disgraced Rep. Vito Fossella, the only Republican House member from New York City, did not resign from Congress this month, as it was widely reported that he would. A Fossella resignation before July 1 would have enabled Democrat Gov. David Paterson to call a special election to fill the seat. Although the Staten Island district long has been held by Republicans, even more distinctly Republican districts in Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi have been lost this year in special elections. House Republican leaders did not want to conduct another special election, particularly in the wake of the Fossella scandal. When the six-term congressman recently was arrested for drunken driving in the Washington area, it was revealed he was maintaining separate households in New York and Washington. He announced he would not seek re-election but not resign for now. Robert Novak is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.

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