Q&A #1: Time For Setti To Go?

Happy Ask Me Anything Friday!!! First up is "Rob," who goes straight to the big Massachusetts 2012 US Senate race:

Have you heard any rumblings about any of the Democratic Senate candidates dropping out now that Elizabeth Warren is in the race? I'm wondering specifically about Setti Warren. Seems like this would be an opportune time for him to gracefully drop out, save face, and build up more experience for a run later on. I say that as someone that likes him a lot. Thanks!

No, thank YOU!

The answer is no. That might change around the end of the month -- which is also the end of the fundraising quarter. If Setti posts an even worse number than last quarter, I think he may be finished. I am told, however, that the campaign expects (or is it hopes?) to show improvement on that front.

The way the campaigns seem to be thinking (and I tend to agree) is that over the course of the year between now and the Democratic primary, one candidate will emerge from the pack as the 'not-her' candidate, with a perfectly decent chance of winning if EW's support turns out to have a low ceiling. At this snapshot moment, Alan Khazei might seem to have a slight lead for that position, but it's slight, and Khazei would seem as much as anybody to be redundant, rather than alternative, to Elizabeth Warren.

The big moment in the "other than EW" sweepstakes figures to be next spring's Massachusetts Democrats state convention, so there's a real incentive for Setti, Khazei, Massei, Conroy, and the gang to hang in until then, as long as they've got some money coming in, and a feeling that they're making some headway.