No great surprise here, but U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi formally announced that he will not seek re-election in 2008, according to Roll Call.The Republican is being investigated by the FBI for possible public corruption. He resigned from all of his House committee assignments weeks ago and has not been raising any money, while Democrats and Republicans alike have been lining up for the race.Here

Republican Jim Ogsbury, who announced his intention to run against U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell on Saturday, has been around policy makers for years, but enters the race with almost zero name recognition.Through the early 1990s, the native Arizonan with degrees from Harvard and Arizona State University worked as a lobbyist for Salt River Project in Washington. Then, following the

John McCainAnnouncing the John McCain Presidential Campaign Countdown Contest, which is being brought to you exclusively by this very blog, Checking In, at www.evtrib.com.Two factors prompted the contest:1) While filming a Friday episode of the local PBS talk show program Horizon recently, guest host Howard Fisher of Capitol Media Service asked the panelists an intriguing question: When do you think Sen. John McCain will end his 2008 presidential campaign?2) I seem to have collected a few political odds and ends that would make a suitable contest prize, McCain

Republican lobbyist Jim Ogsbury is set to become Democrat Rep. Harry Mitchell