Endangered Senator Mary Landrieu, perhaps Republicans' best pick-up opportunity in 2008, knows the position in which she sits. Releasing campaign finance reports today, Landrieu reported raising an impressive $857,000 for the quarter, bringing her cash-on-hand total to $3.4 million.

The senator's pace is faster than it was last time out, Landrieu's campaign notes. At this point in the 2002 cycle, Landrieu had $1.5 million cash on hand, less than half what she has this year.

Landrieu, who needed a run-off to win re-election in 2002, lost many of her base Democratic voters after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and Republicans recruited Democrat-turned-Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy to take her on. Kennedy, running for re-election this year, will spend much of his warchest on boosting his name identification in preparation for taking on the two-term Democrat next year. Kennedy lost his first bid for Senate, in 2004, when he and Rep. Chris John could not force then-Rep. David Vitter into a runoff.