There will be 16 new senators in the next Congress

[Renew Deal]

This is an astounding number. The list of outgoing senators and their seniority is below.

8 Christopher Dodd
10 Arlen Specter
20 Kit Bond
26 Byron Dorgan
28 Judd Gregg
29 Russ Feingold
31 Bob Bennett
37 Sam Brownback
47 Jim Bunning
49 Blanche Lincoln
50 George Voinovich
51 Evan Bayh
93 Roland Burris
94 Ted Kaufman
98 George LeMieux
100 Carte Goodwin

Just to give you some perspective. Franken will go from 97th to 83rd in just 2 months! Ben Cardin is the most senior of the class of 2007 and he's already 72. He's going to be the 60th most senior senator after just 4 years of service. The current 60th most senior senator has been there 8 years. The time will be cut in half. That's pretty amazing turnover. This list doesn't include Murkowski who is still up in the air. She's #58 right now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seniority_in_the_United_States_Senate

[bemildred]

1. No incumbent advantage this time around.

The odds about 50/50 you lose your job Senator. Think about it.

[Unvanguard]

2. Some of those are retirees. n/t

[bemildred]

3. How about that. nt

[Renew Deal]

4. Yes, and we lost Kennedy and Byrd last year.

I haven't added up the years of experience lost, but it's got to be in the 200 range.

[Renew Deal]

5. kick

:kick: