Like Pombo, the former chairman of the House Resources Committee (since renamed the Natural Resources Committee), Sen. Inhofe chaired an important committee dealing with environmental issues: the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.  His replacement by Sen. Barbara Boxer is one of the happiest committee turnarounds resulting from the 2006 elections, which as Sen. Boxer so appropriately informed Sen. Inhofe when Gore was testifying, "have consequences."  As the DSCC is prudently warning donors in fundraising letters:

One seat. That's all it would take to flip Senate control back to the GOP in 2008.  And once again, the Oklahoma Republican Senator James Inhofe -- who has called global warming the 'greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people' -- would assume the chairmanship of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

That certainly gets across the urgency of expanding our tenuous Senate majority in 2008.  But why stop there?  By targeting Inhofe for defeat or at least making him fight, we can prove that we are serious about the 50-state strategy and help build Democratic prospects in Oklahoma, a state that hasn't gone Democratic in a presidential election since 1964 (like Virginia, which as you may recall recently saw a popular Republican incumbent unseated by a previously unknown candidate).  Just as importantly, we can tie up one of the worst senators in the country and at least make him earn his reelection, and at best defeat him.

As of today, Oklahoma's two most popular Democrats, Gov. Brad Henry and Rep. Dan Boren, have both said that they will not run for Senate in 2008.  So who can we recruit to be "the next Jerry McNerney," someone perceived by the Beltway illuminati to be a hopeless candidate but who ends up winning?  Who can be Oklahoma's Ron Sparks?  Is is Secretary of State Susan Savage, a former mayor of Tulsa?  Is it Attorney General Drew Edmondson?  Is it Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins?  Former U.S. Rep. and 2004 Senate candidate Brad Carson?  Someone else?

This race should not be considered a longshot!  Inhofe's approval ratings are stunningly low.  In fact, two polls in late 2006 showed him with net negative approval, one by a stunning 9 points.  The most recent SUSA poll, conducted in November 2006, shows him with an anemic 46% approval and 41% disapproval.

I'd love to see someone from Oklahoma put up a "the next Pombo" webpage targeting Inhofe for defeat.  Let's let Sen. Inhofe be right about something for once--he is going to be the next Richard Pombo.