In Georgia, Max Cleland will not seek a rematch with Saxby Chambliss.

Former Georgia senator Max Cleland confirmed Thursday he will not seek a 2008 rematch against Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who won Cleland's seat in a bitter 2002 campaign.

Cleland, a Democrat who lost three limbs in Vietnam and uses a wheelchair, had campaigned aggressively for other Democratic candidates this year, leading some to speculate that he might be preparing for a run of his own. Still angry over 2002 political ads criticizing Cleland's commitment to national security, many Democrats had hoped he would try to avenge the loss [...]

John Anzalone, a Democratic pollster based in Alabama who works with candidates across the country, said some Democrats could shy away from the race with Georgia leaning more and more Republican.

"I think one of the things that will cause hesitation there is that (Democratic Lt. Gov.) Mark Taylor just got his clock cleaned" in his gubernatorial bid against Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, Anzalone said, referring to Taylor's 38 percent showing. "But at the same time the fact that there is this generic Democratic wave ... will probably lead some people to think it's viable." [...]

Democrats said to be considering a Senate bid include Rep. Jim Marshall of Macon, DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones and state office-holders such as Secretary of State Cathy Cox.

Georgia is currently bleak territory for Dems. They got creamed in the statewide races, and lost ground in the state House even while Dems were making dramatic gains elsewhere around the country. Cleland might've made the race interesting, but he's suffering from PTSD and depression, and an uphill race in a state trending away from us probably wouldn't be the best therapy.

Meanwhile, Artur Davis is considering a run at Jeff Sessions in Alabama.

The Democratic sweep of Congress may have fueled Rep. Artur Davis' ambitions for higher office, but it's still a tough climb for a black candidate in the South to win a top political job, analysts say.

Long odds have not deterred Davis, a 39-year-old black Democrat, from considering a challenge to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, when the senator faces re-election in 2008.

"I think Alabama is moving towards a very competitive (political) environment," Davis said.

In neighboring Tennessee, Rep. Harold Ford Jr. lost his bid to become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction. On Nov. 7, Ford lost to Republican Bob Corker but won 48 percent of the vote because he was able to attract white voters.

Davis was encouraged by Ford's performance in Tennessee and by Democrats' gains across the nation and at home on Election Day.

He sees the wins of Jim Folsom Jr. in the lieutenant governor race and Sue Bell Cobb in the race for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court as signs Democratic candidates still can attract political support in Alabama, considered one of the nation's reddest states.

"Democrats won despite being outspent and called 'liberals,' " Davis said. "But the labels don't work anymore. Voters in Alabama are not driven by ideology ... voters in this state are very pragmatic." [...]

Davis said he will make a final decision on whether to challenge Sessions in the spring, after "a systematic look" at several questions, including "can a candidate who stands in the center ... win statewide?"

Davis said he also has to determine whether he can raise enough money to mount a credible campaign against Sessions. Davis estimated he would need $7 million to $10 million.

"This is not a light decision," Davis said.

Another Davis concern: whether the Democratic presidential candidate in 2008 is a "polarizing" figure like Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., or someone who would attract more Alabama votes.

If Davis -- a killer orator and skilled politician -- enters this race, it's immediately a second-tier race. That might not sound impressive, but we're talking about an African American candidate in Alabama here. And let's not forget, Webb was a third-tier candidate most of the race, made the second-tier after the Macaca incident, and didn't really go top-tier until the last month of the race when polls showed a competitive race.

We'd also get to see just how racist the GOP wants to continue behaving, and whether such appeals continue to have an impact in the South.