Political speculation isn't taking a summer vacation

The dog days of summer are here, but political speculation isn't taking a vacation. Interesting 2010 election questions abound:

Rep. Jason Chaffetz is now being touted as a possible opponent against Sen. Bob Bennett. Bennett already has several challengers within the party. Is he really as vulnerable as his Republican challengers seem to think?

Pignanelli: "Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects." — Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson. Bennett happens to be running for re-election at a time when the GOP is without focus and grumbling about everything and everyone. The complaints against him would be trivial in other election cycles but are highlighted this season. Veteran Utah politicos acknowledge the senator is a tough combatant and is getting stronger every day. His detractors have yet to rally around one individual. In the meantime, Bennett is pushing hard against challengers with the blunt weapon of incumbency.

Webb: Bennett is going to be tougher than his Republican opponents think. The power of incumbency, money and influence will win the day for him, as long as he runs a smart and sophisticated campaign with a strong grass-roots emphasis. Bennett has trouble among some conservative delegates, but the business community and opinion leaders view him as the guy who really gets things done for Utah. They would hate to lose him. His competitors will find it difficult to raise money.

What about the Democrats? Will either Rep. Jim Matheson or Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon get into the 2010 U.S. Senate race?

Webb: Too early to say. They have the luxury of waiting until year's end to see how the GOP race shakes out. The Democratic dream would be for the Republicans to have a nasty internal fight and take out the reasonably moderate Bennett in convention or primary, leaving Matheson or Corroon a much more conservative opponent in the general election.

Pignanelli: If the intraparty contest against Bennett remains a nasty fight in February and the nominee is presumed to be wounded, one of these Democrats will file. (Corroon will defer to Matheson.)

Is the Rick Koerber controversy problematic for Mark Shurtleff and others?

Webb: If opponents are smart enough to take advantage of the issue, without appearing to cross the line into personal attacks, it could hurt Shurtleff.