Madison Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin "likely to run" for the Senate seat long occupied by Herb Kohl.

She reveals her thinking to the Capital Times:

"Should I run, I will have to give up my House seat. But I love this state, I love its people and I really want to see Wisconsin flourish again. It would be an amazing opportunity."

An amazing opportunity for Republicans to pick up another Senate seat.  And maybe even the House seat she's held so strongly since 1999.

"I am well-known now in south-central Wisconsin," she says. "I win handily across that area. That basically describes the rest of the state. It’s just that I have not introduced myself to folks across the state yet and look forward to that opportunity." 

The Madison area "basically describes the rest of the state"? That sounds absurd, but her point is that her district contains urban, suburban, rural, and small town areas.

In her fund-raising appeal, Baldwin spoke of "cynical voices," the ones "doubting me from the very beginning." She wrote, "They said, ‘You’re a woman. You’re a lesbian. And you’re too outspoken.’ "

I think the problem is that she's too liberal. But I understand the strategy of disparaging those terrible voters by calling them homophobic and sexist instead of facing the reality that they aren't as far left as she is. Speaking of "cynical voices."