Fresh off a narrow loss to Rep. Niki Tsongas in a special election late last year, farmer and Air Force veteran Jim Ogonowski, the closest thing Massachusetts Republicans have to a hero, is making another run for office. Unlike 2007, though, when Ogonowski raised a significant amount of money and had the Washington GOP's establishment behind him, this time he may have picked a mountain too high to climb.

With little name recognition in a state expected to go heavily Democratic in the 2008 presidential race, Ogonowski has set his sites on John Kerry, who is seeking his fifth term. While he has not formally declared his intention to run, Ogonowski said he is contemplating a bid and launched bombs at Kerry, accusing him of being out of touch and the ultimate status quo Washington insider.

Ogonowski, who reported a little over $43,000 in his campaign account at the end of 2007, will start in a deep financial hole. Kerry had raised more than $9.7 million through the third quarter with more than $6.1 million hand, though the Boston Globe reports today that Kerry's available cash is closer to $9.5 million.

Aside from the money, Ogonowski will also face a political challenge. Kerry won his 2002 re-election campaign with 80% of the vote against a Libertarian, though he has had stronger opposition before. In 1996, former Massachusetts Governor William Weld held Kerry to 52% in one of the costliest Senate campaigns that year.

Ogonowski has little hope of overcoming both hurdles, though he is a charismatic speaker who can make debates entertaining. Kerry remains a strong favorite in this overwhelmingly Democratic state, but the challenger will make him spend at least a few days off the surrogate trail and on his own race.