Democratic senators gauge support as possible successors to Daschle

Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut are gauging support for possible runs for Senate Democratic leader if Tom Daschle of South Dakota leaves the post to run for president.

Reid was widely credited with persuading Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., to leave the Republican Party last year, turning control of the Senate over to Democrats. Reid promised Jeffords he could serve as chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, on which Reid was the senior Democrat.

Dodd, a four-term senator who challenged Daschle for leader in 1995 to lose by a single vote, told reporters this week that colleagues have approached him, asking if he would be interested in the leader's job were Daschle to step down.