Public Policy Polling today releases the results of its most recent survey in Colorado. They find that little has changed since their last poll in April: appointed Senator Michael Bennet is extremely beatable - if the GOP can find the right candidate.

More than halfway through his first year in the Senate Michael Bennet continues to sport weak approval numbers, Public Policy Polling’s newest Colorado survey finds.

Bennet has a 31% approval rating, with 38% of voters in the state disapproving of his job performance. That’s virtually unchanged from a 34/41 breakdown when PPP last polled Colorado in April. 57% of Democrats, 29% of independents, and 9% of Republicans like the job he’s doing.

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I worked on Capitol Hill for 10 years, and this is the first time I’ve heard anyone make this claim:

In turn, Melancon, a co-sponsor of EFCA, is seeking to change the bill. An aide to Melancon said the lawmaker is working on a “bipartisan solution” that would bring labor and business together…

Melancon is an EFCA co-sponsor, but said he was working on making changes to the bill after being asked by local business leaders last week to drop his sponsorship.

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This report is from Roll Call:

In a move that signals a retirement announcement from Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) is imminent, Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R) has formed an exploratory committee to run for Senate.

In making the announcement, Grayson reiterated that he has “no plans to run against Senator Bunning” — and one Republican political strategist confirmed Thursday that Bunning did in fact give Grayson the green light to open up an exploratory committee, a clear signal that he does not plan to seek another term in 2010. A second GOP source said Grayson was likely to run now, even if Bunning decides not to retire after all.

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Sarah Steelman is one of two contenders for the Republican nomination to face Democrat Robin Carnahan in Missouri’s open Senate seat next year. (Roy Blunt is the other.) To the surprise of absolutely no one, Jimmy Hoffa was in Missouri today to endorse the Democrat Carnahan:

Robin Carnahan appeared with Teamsters president Jim Hoffa in KC this afternoon after picking up the union’s endorsement for the Senate seat being vacated by Kit Bond.

Does this seem like a complete non-story? It would be, except for one thing. Sarah Steelman used to be a supporter of the labor movement. In her 2002 Senate race, she was endorsed by the UAW, the SEIU, and other unions. She received multiple donations from union leaders. And prior to that - in March, 2000 - she appeared at an event with Jimmy Hoffa and then-Governor Mel Carnahan (Jean Carnahan’s father). By the time of this rally, Carnahan had long since declared his campaign against incumbent John Ashcroft, so Steelman was appearing with Jimmy Hoffa and the Democrat Senate candidate. From Westlaw:

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Roll Call reports that Senate Democrat leaders have basically decided that they won’t succeed in getting Roland Burris to resign anytime soon:

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Jim Bunning is in an increasingly nasty fight with the Senate Republican leadership over his 2010 re-election campaign. While NRSC Chair John Cornyn and GOP Leader Mitch McConnell would be happy if he steps aside, they will not publicly acknowledge it. For his part, Bunning has said that he will seek re-election next year. But many wonder if the incumbent can win. He has raised little money and he barely prevailed in 2004. The big knock against him in that race was his ‘erratic’ behavior - and his recent antics give opponents plenty more ammunition for the charge.

And now - as if things couldn’t get any weirder - Bunning has reportedly threatened to resign his seat and allow Kentucky’s Democrat Governor to appoint his replacement:

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