Bloody Monday: Yesterday saw the ongoing exits of Republican candidates and potential candidates from major mid-term election contests.

In West Virginia, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R) announced she would seek re-election next year instead of challenging US Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D), despite White House attempts to recruit Capito into the race.

In Maine, RNC member and former State Rep. Peter Cianchette — the 2002 GOP nominee for governor and viewed as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination in 2006 — unexpectedly abandoned his previously announced candidacy against Gov. John Baldacci (D) for “personal reasons.”

In North Dakota, the weekend decision by Gov. John Hoeven (R) not to challenge US Sen. Kent Conrad (D) next year caused just about every top Repug in the state — including former Gov. Ed Schafer, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, State PSC Chair Tony Clark, Insurance Commissioner Jim Poolman, State House Majority Leader Rick Berg, State Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem and US Attorney Drew Wrigley — to all announce they would also not run against Conrad.