Former GOP Lieutenant Governor candidate Steve Daines threw his hat into the ring on Saturday announcing that he was running for U.S. Senate in 2012. You can visit the Steve Daines for U.S. Senator website HERE.

That seat is currently held by first-term U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D).

Tester was listed as the most vulnerable senator running for re-election in 2012 by The Western Word. Several other pundits list him at or near the top of the list as being the most vulnerable.

Daines will probably not be the only person to throw their hat into the ring. Weak incumbents, like Jon Tester, breed challenges from all over the map.

The biggest question that many on the right are asking is “What will Rehberg do?” Rehberg can run for almost any seat he wishes and have a very good chance to win.

It would help the GOP (both in the state of Montana and nationally) if Rehberg makes a decision sooner rather than later about his plans for 2012. Several supporters and the folks making donations may hold back from endorsing or donating to any candidate until they know Rehberg’s plans. Rehberg is the big dog in the Montana Republican Party.

Although most people abhor campaigns starting so early, this is the way they are done these days. Daines, although he ran for public office in 2008, is relatively unknown across the state and he will need time to get his name recognition up, get a team in place, and sign up supporters and raise money – something that will take most of a year to do – and something he will need in place when the campaign season really gets going in the Spring of 2012 for Montana’s primary election in June.