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Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut) has served the state of Connecticut in both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate since 1975. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1981, and has been re-elected continuously since then. Senator Dodd has been a popular and well-known figure in Connecticut and even nationwide, as he ran for President in 2008.

However, Dodd's popularity and the possibility of another easy re-election for him has been called into question in recent months. Dodd will face a much more difficult race than he is used to in 2010. With low approval ratings, hovering around 33 percent, and opponents such as Republican Rob Simmons already announced, Dodd will have to fight very hard to retain the Senate seat he has held for nearly 30 years.

Dodd, as chair of the Senate Banking Committee, has become the public figure for many of the proposed Congressional policies to investigate and remedy the financial crisis. However, Dodd himself has become personally embroiled in scandal relating to the financial and housing collapse. The Countrywide Financial Scandal, as it has come to be called, has surely already hurt his chances for re-election. Countrywide Financial was a company that Dodd pointedly requested help for during a speech on the Senate Floor after the collapse of the housing market.

It was later discovered that Dodd himself had used Countrywide in order to refinance his mortgages at subprime rates. As a result, his credibility, especially as the chair of the Banking Committee, and as a representative of his constituents, has been seriously hurt. This scandal and the concerns surrounding it will surely remain on the minds of Connecticut voters as the recession continues and the 2010 campaigns for U.S. Senate begin in earnest.

There have also been allegations of wrongdoing by Dodd with regards to the takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the AIG bailout, and the purchase of a home in Ireland. Taken together, these allegations, along with the Countrywide scandal have already made the 2010 race difficult for Dodd, with a recent poll putting Dodd nearly 16 points behind likely Republican candidate Rob Simmons.

The economic climate has put Senator Christopher Dodd and his reputation at the forefront of political discussion in Connecticut and across the nation. As allegations of scandal have arisen and the economy continues to falter, Senator Dodd will undoubtedly face a difficult fight as he seeks reelection in 2010.

Sources:

http://www.foxnew s.com/politics/2009/04/02/dodd -trails-potential-gop-opponent s-race-poll-shows/

http://www.p olitico.com/news/stories/0409/ 21543.html

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