Just in case you’re having trouble keeping track of all the Republicans who think they might be able to knock down the moneyed campaign of governor-appointed Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, here’s a summary: Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, and Denver businessman Cleve Tidwell are all in. Now add these lesser-known potential candidates to the mix for the 2010 election: Luke Korkowski, a Crested Butte attorney, and Mark Evan Van Wyk, of Castle Rock (via Face the State).

The next election might well be defined by Democrat Al Franken, the comedian who was finally confirmed as a U.S. senator for Minnesota last week after a long legal battle over November’s voting. The National Republican Senatorial Committee points out that Dems now have the magic 60 members–a number that, when united, will thwart any Republican filibuster, notes Congressional Quarterly.

To look at it another way, the Dems now have less political cover if they fail to deliver on their promises. As for Bennet, he hasn’t been campaigning lately–at least not overtly. He was recently in Aspen, though, to predict a tough Senate battle for the energy-climate bill passed by the House about a week ago, according to the Steamboat Pilot & Today.