What did Minnesota do to deserve the 2008 cycle we’re going to have?

As of yesterday’s announcement from third-district Congressman Jim Ramstad that he would not seek reelection in 2008, we now have not one, not two, but three potentially competitive congressional races.  Four Republicans have lined up for the chance to take on first-term Congressman Tim Walz in the First, a bevy of Democrats now must consider their options in the Third, and a three-way race for the nomination to face Michele Bachmann in the Sixth will soon be underway.  Three of eight — imagine if California had twenty competitive seats in a single cycle. 

And that doesn’t include murmurs about a strong challenge for Republican John Kline’s Second district seat from Iraq veteran Steve Sarvi.

Oh, and Minnesota’s precinct caucuses will be held on Tsunami Tuesday.

And the Republican National Convention will be held in St. Paul.

Oh, and we have a pretty important Senate race too.

Good luck keeping up — it’s going to be intense.