Can a sitting senator run for the other seat?

[brucejoel99]

I'm not certain about the constitutional/federal legality of this, but I don't see why someone wouldn't be allowed to (though I don't ever see it happening).  

I'm sure that the Senator's staff would squash the plan even before it gains any momentum.  

The first thing that came to mind with regards to seniority (even though it's not your scenario) was the 2018 Arizona Senate race with the unusual arrangement of Sinema winning the junior seat but McSally being appointed to the senior seat. 

I think it's the other way around, IIRC Sinema is the senior Senator.

[brucejoel99]

I'm not certain about the constitutional/federal legality of this, but I don't see why someone wouldn't be allowed to (though I don't ever see it happening).  

I'm sure that the Senator's staff would squash the plan even before it gains any momentum.  

The first thing that came to mind with regards to seniority (even though it's not your scenario) was the 2018 Arizona Senate race with the unusual arrangement of Sinema winning the junior seat but McSally being appointed to the senior seat. 

I think it's the other way around, IIRC Sinema is the senior Senator.

If I recall correctly, they switched on account of Sinema being elected before McSally was appointed.  I remember there being some concern about McSally getting sworn-in first.

But I can barely remember my own names most mornings. 

Yeah, I remember that concern, though it always seemed unfounded since they were being sworn in on the same day, which gave Sinema the edge since she'd served in the House for 6 years compared to McSally's 4.

[brucejoel99]

Might be interesting to compile a list of people who've held both Senate seats from a state. In addition to McSally John Kyl also did. Any other examples aside from the aforementioned Kent Conrad?

*McSally only ran for both of AZ's seats; she hasn't actually held both of them.

[brucejoel99]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Tbh before Flake announced he was retiring, I considered there being a non-zero chance of this happening if/when McCain passed.

[brucejoel99]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Have we had this much hatred between two senators from the same state since Wayne Morse and Richard Neuberger?

It wouldn't surprise me if Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin loathed each other. I don't know if they do, but if I read that they did, I'd be like "yeah, that checks out".

On the flip side of that coin, IIRC Snowe & Collins downright hated each other too, which was a surprise given their shared "moderate" & "pragmatic" "centrism."