MichaelBennetofficialphotoJust when you thought the election was over, the 2016 elections are beginning.  In honor of the kickoff of the 2016 elections, The Hill has released a list of “10 Senators Who Could Lose in 2016” and Colorado’s Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet comes in at unlucky number seven.  Here’s The Hill’s take on Bennet’s challenges:

“Bennet narrowly won in 2010 against a gaffe-prone Republican and is coming off a rough cycle as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He also just lost his home-state colleague, outgoing Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), defeated by Sen.-elect Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).”

Bennet is just one of two Democrats on the list.  To be fair, Republicans have 24 Senators up for re-election in 2016 vs. Democrats’ 10.  Nonetheless, Bennet is listed along with reviled Sen. Harry Reid.  It’s not the place we’d like to be heading into a tough election.

The list also correctly asserts that Republicans must come up with a high-caliber candidate akin to Senator-elect Cory Gardner.  Fortunately, Republicans have a deep bench of potential candidates from which to choose.  The Hill suggests that Rep. Mike Coffman might be up to the challenge. He’s a true political warrior and there’s no way that Bennet can outwork him. He’d be a good choice, but regardless of who the Republican nominee is, there are few politicians who would stand next to Bennet and not look charismatic.

Put another way, Bennet lost narrowly to a candidate who blew himself up on national TV just weeks before the election.  Sen. Mumbles makes Ben Stein look like sunny Cory Gardner. This has to make Republicans feel just a little warm and fuzzy about 2016.  Plus, appearing on similar lists is how it all started for outgoing Sen. Mark Udall.