It's not really on anyone's radar screen yet, but with Congressman John McHugh's (NY-23) elevation to the cabinet as Secretary of the Army, we're going to have an open seat and a special election to fill it.

There's nothing really to report yet, but here's what D Trip has on possible candidates for teams Red and Blue. Important: this is not a list of people who have declared interest; rather, these are people who would make credible candidates, and it's not exhaustive or even a DCCC effort; find the original at National Journal. I'd go so far as to call it speculation, but you have to start somewhere, I suppose.

But the important thing is that Progressive bloggers and our allies in Washington are getting ready to fight. We have three republican Congressmen in this state. That's one too many (two will have their districts cut out from under them in the 2012 redistricting).

Potential Dems:

-- State Sen. Darrel Aubertine (D): Aubertine spokesperson Drew Mangione: "The news just got sprung on us; it's neither a 'no' or a 'yes,' and it's not really a 'maybe' either." Aubertine is a conservative Dem who is against gay marriage and is "well-versed" in rural issues (he's a dairy farmer) (Benjamin, "Daily Politics," New York Daily News, 6/2).
-- State Sen. David Valesky
-- '08 nominee Michael Oot
-- NY Dem chair June O'Neill
-- Ex-US Atty/ex-Sen. Moynihan aide Daniel French: "I'm interested." French lives outside the CD, but was raised in it (Allen/Cadei, CQ, 6/2).
'94 nominee Danny Francis: He's "interested" in the race, but "was being practical" about his chances: "I don't think anyone is interested in me" (Watertown Daily Times, 6/3).
'04/'06 nominee Robert Johnson
-- Assemb. Addie Russell
-- Watertown Councilor Jeffrey Smith
-- Businessman John Rhodes

Goopers over the fold.

Potential GOPers:

-- Assemb. DeDe Scozzafava: "I'm definitely interested, if the opportunity presents itself, to run for Congress." The possibility of the CD "disappearing" following '12 redistricting "doesn't scare her, either." Scozzafava: "That would be one consideration but I think the opportunity to go forward and have the opportunity to serve in Congress would outweigh that at this point" (Newswatch50.com, 6/2). But the process "might break against" her, as she "supports same-sex marriage, a position that might cause" GOP officials to "balk" and would likely cost her the Conservative Party line (Vielkind, PolitickerNY, 6/2).
-- Ex-Deutsche Bank Managing Dir./fund mgr Matt Doheny: Originally from the CD, Doheny went to NYC to work in finance. He's been "mulling a run" for Cong. "for awhile" and can self-fund (Liu, "Capitol Confidential," Albany Times Union, 6/2).
-- State Sen. Joseph Griffo: "It would be a disservice not to at least assess the situation and consider" the race. Griffo lives "one mile outside" the CD, but represents parts of the CD. He's been receiving calls from GOP officials and businessmen to run for the seat (Ackerman, Utica Observer-Dispatch, 6/2).
-- McHugh CoS Robert Taub: One GOP operative said he'd be a "natural fit to replace him" (Kraushaar, "Scorecard," Politico, 6/2).
-- Franklin Co. DA Derek Champagne
-- Plattsburgh Mayor Donald Kasprzak
-- Hargrave Custom Yachts pres. Michael Joyce
-- Assemb. Will Barclay
-- Businesswoman Kay Stafford
-- Trudeau Institute biomedical research center VP Terry Gach
-- Essex Co. DA Julie Garcia
-- Franklin Co. Legis. Paul Maroun