Chuck Todd

I want to talk about one in particular, a couple of senior U.S. senators that there's some chatter that they may step down and you may see them replaced by even more progressive folks, Jeff Merkley in Oregon. He is expected to make a decision next month. Look, this is a seat that will likely stay Democratic. Ironically, it wasn't.

I want to talk about one in particular, a couple of senior U.S. senators that there's some chatter that they may step down and you may see them replaced by even more progressive folks, Jeff Merkley in Oregon. He is expected to make a decision next month. Look, this is a seat that will likely stay Democratic. Ironically, it wasn't.

You know, when I first started in politics, Oregon was a swing state, regularly had at least one Republican senator and at times sometimes two in any given. I think there was a time when I first started was Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield, both Republicans. So this was a swing state. George W. Bush.

You know, when I first started in politics, Oregon was a swing state, regularly had at least one Republican senator and at times sometimes two in any given. I think there was a time when I first started was Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield, both Republicans. So this was a swing state. George W. Bush.

You know, when I first started in politics, Oregon was a swing state, regularly had at least one Republican senator and at times sometimes two in any given. I think there was a time when I first started was Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield, both Republicans. So this was a swing state. George W. Bush.

I ran into somebody over the Memorial Day weekend who said, yeah, I was in charge of keeping Oregon in play in 2004. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that we thought Oregon was swingish, if you will. But I don't think so in this sort of Trump version of the Republican Party. And then there's chatter about Ed Markey. Now, Markey said he's running for reelection, which means he could get primaried.

I ran into somebody over the Memorial Day weekend who said, yeah, I was in charge of keeping Oregon in play in 2004. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that we thought Oregon was swingish, if you will. But I don't think so in this sort of Trump version of the Republican Party. And then there's chatter about Ed Markey. Now, Markey said he's running for reelection, which means he could get primaried.

I ran into somebody over the Memorial Day weekend who said, yeah, I was in charge of keeping Oregon in play in 2004. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that we thought Oregon was swingish, if you will. But I don't think so in this sort of Trump version of the Republican Party. And then there's chatter about Ed Markey. Now, Markey said he's running for reelection, which means he could get primaried.

But he survived a primary against a Kennedy. So it's hard to imagine if a Kennedy – couldn't knock him off. And this was Joe III, if you follow. But Kennedy could knock him off. I'm a little skeptical that an Ayanna Pressley or a Jake Auchincloss, which is floated out there, could do it as well. But certainly something to keep an eye on. And then one more development.

But he survived a primary against a Kennedy. So it's hard to imagine if a Kennedy – couldn't knock him off. And this was Joe III, if you follow. But Kennedy could knock him off. I'm a little skeptical that an Ayanna Pressley or a Jake Auchincloss, which is floated out there, could do it as well. But certainly something to keep an eye on. And then one more development.

But he survived a primary against a Kennedy. So it's hard to imagine if a Kennedy – couldn't knock him off. And this was Joe III, if you follow. But Kennedy could knock him off. I'm a little skeptical that an Ayanna Pressley or a Jake Auchincloss, which is floated out there, could do it as well. But certainly something to keep an eye on. And then one more development.

If the Democratic Party doesn't decide what its presidential primary calendar is going to look like, the candidates are going to decide for them. Well, we now have our second Democratic candidate who's decided to go to an event in Iowa as a way to signal interest in running for president. The first one to do this was a couple of weeks ago. Pete Buttigieg did a public town hall in Iowa.

If the Democratic Party doesn't decide what its presidential primary calendar is going to look like, the candidates are going to decide for them. Well, we now have our second Democratic candidate who's decided to go to an event in Iowa as a way to signal interest in running for president. The first one to do this was a couple of weeks ago. Pete Buttigieg did a public town hall in Iowa.

If the Democratic Party doesn't decide what its presidential primary calendar is going to look like, the candidates are going to decide for them. Well, we now have our second Democratic candidate who's decided to go to an event in Iowa as a way to signal interest in running for president. The first one to do this was a couple of weeks ago. Pete Buttigieg did a public town hall in Iowa.

And now Rahm Emanuel has agreed to do a fish fry in the fall in Iowa as well. So... If the presidential case, is this one of those cases? Gee, I wonder if this is the right state to use this language with. If you build it, the party will come. So the candidates themselves are sort of showing up in Iowa.

And now Rahm Emanuel has agreed to do a fish fry in the fall in Iowa as well. So... If the presidential case, is this one of those cases? Gee, I wonder if this is the right state to use this language with. If you build it, the party will come. So the candidates themselves are sort of showing up in Iowa.

And now Rahm Emanuel has agreed to do a fish fry in the fall in Iowa as well. So... If the presidential case, is this one of those cases? Gee, I wonder if this is the right state to use this language with. If you build it, the party will come. So the candidates themselves are sort of showing up in Iowa.

And eventually the Democratic Party may have to just suck it up, grin and bear it, and realize that two of their last three presidents to go from zeros to heroes, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, all used Iowa as their launching pad. Maybe it's not such a bad place to launch presidential candidates from, especially if you're the party out of power these days.

And eventually the Democratic Party may have to just suck it up, grin and bear it, and realize that two of their last three presidents to go from zeros to heroes, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, all used Iowa as their launching pad. Maybe it's not such a bad place to launch presidential candidates from, especially if you're the party out of power these days.

And eventually the Democratic Party may have to just suck it up, grin and bear it, and realize that two of their last three presidents to go from zeros to heroes, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, all used Iowa as their launching pad. Maybe it's not such a bad place to launch presidential candidates from, especially if you're the party out of power these days.