Could "Republican" become a dirty word?  That may be a stretch, but this week saw several pieces of bad news for the Republican brand:

• Voters trust Democrats more than Republicans on every issue.
  
• Republican pessimism is rapidly on the rise.
  
• Democrats for federal office and Democratic campaign committees, only six months into the two-year cycle, enjoy a $100 million fundraising edge.
  
• Voters overwhelmingly blame Republicans more than Democrats for war, global warming, prejudice, poverty, and corruption.  Ouch!
  
• Oh, and America's youth have a far more favorable opinion of Democrats than Republicans.
  
• It probably doesn't help that prostitute enthusiast David Vitter is talking about how Republicans can enhance their image.

It could be a long cycle for the GOP, especially for Senate Republicans.

Potentially helping to expedite some Senate Republican retirements, a couple prominent Democrats are on the cusp of entering their respective states' 2008 Senate races.  In Kentucky, state Attorney General Greg Stumbo filed papers to proceed with a Senate exploratory committee.  WaPo's Cillizza offers that "this race has potential despite McConnell's significant political chops and fundraising capacity." It sure does have potential, especially given that Mitch McConnell is currently amid his worst approval ratings ever.  And, in Oregon, state House Speaker Jeff Merkley is approaching a Senate announcement, with papers expected to be filed on August 1.  A campaign staff is already being assembled.  You may remember from last week's Week in the Senate Races that polling numbers matching up Merkley and Gordon Smith were very encouraging.  Meanwhile, announced candidate political activist Steve Novick, while polling well behind Gordon Smith (unsurprising given Novick's relatively low name ID at this stage), holds Smith to 50% in a match-up.  We could see a very healthy Democratic primary in Oregon, where the candidates focus the attention on the real Gordon Smith record.  Meanwhile, the Senate's twelve Democratic incumbents up for re-election in 2008 continue to face no top-tier opposition.

There's a saying in sports: "The team that wants it more will win." Well, compare these Senators' Q2 outlays to their respective Senate Campaign Committees and tell me who wants it more:

Notable contributions to the DSCC from campaign committees of or "leadership PACs" associated with Democratic senators

• Dianne Feinstein of California: $250,000
  
• Bill Nelson of Florida: $150,000
  
• Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada: $50,000
  
• Robert Menendez of New Jersey: $50,000
  
• Patty Murray of Washington: $50,000
  
• Sherrod Brown of Ohio: $25,000
  
• Follow the North Star Fund PAC (Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota): $15,000
  
• JAZZ PAC (Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana): $10,000 ...

Notable contributions to the NRSC from "leadership PACs" associated with Republican senators

• Hawkeye PAC (Charles E. Grassley of Iowa): $15,000
  
• Heartland Values PAC (John Thune of South Dakota): $7,500
  
• KITPAC (Christopher S. Bond of Missouri): $15,000
  
• North Star Leadership PAC (Norm Coleman of Minnesota): $7,500
  
• Preserving America's Traditions (Pat Roberts of Kansas): $10,000

I think who wants it more is clear. And if you think the DSCC's massive fundraising advantage over the NRSC isn't already paying dividends, note the "notable transfers" section for both committees. The DSCC has sent $50,000 to the NH-Dems, $20,000 to the ME-Dems and $15,000 to the CO-Dems. The NRSC has no listed "notable transfers."

Political analyst Stu Rothenberg put out his latest Senate ratings this week.  There are four categories: Currently Safe (including 10 of 12 Democrats and only 11 of 22 Republicans); Clear Advantage for Incumbent Party (including Democrat Tim Johnson and five Republicans, from NC, NM, NE, KY and AK); Narrow Advantage for Incumbent Party (including Democrat Mary Landrieu and three Republicans, from MN, ME, and OR); and Toss-Up (including zero Democrats and three Republican seats, from CO, NH, and VA).

Two items really struck me from Rothenberg's list. First, Virginia is considered a "Toss-Up." Now, given John Warner's virtually non-extistent fundraising, one can easily speculate that he will retire. But, would that alone put Virginia in the Toss-Up category? That alone might more likely put it in the Narrow Advantage for Incumbent Party category - unless Rothenberg has some inside dope on popular former Governor Mark Warner's 2008 intentions. Something to keep an eye out for. The second item that struck me was South Dakota's Tim Johnson being situated in the Clear, rather than "Narrow," Advantage for Incumbent Party. Rothenberg must think that Johnson will likely run for re-election and that ultra-conservative GOP Gov. Mike Rounds won't challenge him.

To wrap up, here are a few quick hits from around the country this week:

Alaska: I fully expect the corruption investigations encompassing Alaska's Congressional delegates to generate an implosion rivalling, if not exceeding, what we saw from the Ohio Republican Party.  This week, Ted Stevens declared that he will simply not respond to any questions that have the word "investigation" in them.  It also doesn't help Stevens that the Club for Growth is sniffing around Alaska for primary challengers.  Meanwhile, Lisa Murkowski had quite the week.  TPM offers a terrific recap video of her sweetheart land deal scandal.  In a nutshell, Murkowski was "lucky" enough to score some prime riverfront land at a fraction of its actual value, amounting an illegal gift worth between $70,000 and $170,000.  A "conservative-leaning" government watchdog group then filed an ethics complaint over the deal, and Murkowski sheepishly sold the land back.  However, since the misdeed wasn't "owning" the ill-gotten land, but rather accepting the illegal gift, selling the land back shouldn't absolve her.  We'll see where this ethics complaint goes.

Minnesota: Republicans must be very worried about Al Franken. Of course, challengers will often take shots at incumbents to bring them down as the challengers try to compete. But I don't remember a situation when the incumbent Party took such direct shots at a challenger this early in a cycle, especially in a competitive primary! The only reasonable conclusion is that Republicans are very worried about Franken and the fact that he is already outraising Norm Coleman. (Unless someone wants to throw the stunningly insightful "reverse psychology" bunk out there.)  Oh, it probably also doesn't help the MN-GOP that Coleman's approvals are in the toilet at an atrocious 43-48, and that he is taking some pretty bad local press on the chin.

New Mexico: If retired Lieutenant Colonel Harold Teeter is any indication, Pete Domenici is losing his base.

Georgia: Is Saxby Chambliss using the list of people who contact his Senate office regarding official government business inappropriately for fundraising?  Isn't that illegal?  Should someone maybe look into this?  All the more reason that there is no incumbent in 2008 I'd more like to see lose than "Shameless" (or "Spineless") Saxby Chambliss.

Finally, get those creative juices flowing because Senator John Kerry is running a contest to elicit the most effective radio ad to run against Roadblock Republicans.  Check it out!

For daily news and updates on the U.S. Senate races around the country in 2008, check out Senate 2008 Guru: Following the Races.