Panic time: Nervous Dems already raising money for 2012

The burst of fundraising activity underscores Democrats’ deepest fears: That as rough as the sailing may be this November, it could be even worse come 2012, when 22 Democratic incumbents — and two independents who caucus with them — will be on the ballot, compared with just nine Republicans…

While they’re focused first and foremost on November’s midterms, Democratic senators are already whispering about who’ll be in charge of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 2012 cycle — one would-be contender, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), told POLITICO on Monday that it won’t be him — and building up their bankrolls for the challenges to come…

But several Democrats, too, could possibly be on their way out in 2012, with political operatives eyeing the possibility that five senators — 92-year-old Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin and Ben Nelson of Nebraska — may call it quits. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who already has a big target on his back from the left, also could bow out.