Udall Cousins Ascendent

OK, guess who? They've already been in Washington as Congressmen. Their fathers, Mo and Stew, were major Beltway power players of an earlier generation. And now they're getting returned to DC as Senators.

It's the Udall cousins, Mark and Tom! From Colorado and New Mexico, respectively, they are now forecast to be elected to two Senate seats left open by retiring Republican Senators. Isn't that cute? We hope they get an apartment together. Oh wait, they already have one.

It remains to be seen if the family magic will hold for their cousin, Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon. Smith is on the wrong side of tonight's momentum, as an incumbent Republican, and he may well fall to Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley.

Also, we just feel obliged to mention this . . . all three cousins are Mormons. Is it OK to mention that? We mean, not that there's anything wrong with that. There are lots of major Mormon politicians, like Mitt Romney and Harry Reid!

Wait, actually that's kind of bizarre.

Tags: Colorado, Gordon Smith, House of Representatives, New Mexico, Oregon, Senate