Another look at Reid’s race

Sen. Harry Reid's race for reelection, though more than a year away, continues to be a popular topic. Today, the Washington-based newspaper Politico takes a look and finds, "Reid could get a free ride."

"It’s a remarkable turn of events for a polarizing partisan leader with lackluster poll ratings and a history of razor-thin winning margins," Politico's Alex Isenstadt writes. "But despite the widespread belief that his seat is vulnerable, and despite his status as the GOP’s Senate Public Enemy No. 1, Reid still has no opponent.

"There’s time for a credible challenge to take shape. But the chances that he’ll face a heavyweight Republican opponent with enough resources to unseat him are growing more remote by the day."

It's no secret that Republicans in Nevada and Washington are very nervous about this possibility. Instead of a tough battle, Reid could be in for a repeat of 2004, when he got more than 60 percent of the vote against a weak challenger with little support from the GOP establishment.

In addition, as a recent story in Roll Call pointed out, Reid will have a popular president at his side as a potent part of his arsenal. Barack Obama is headlining a glitzy Reid fundraiser in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks.