Local politicos have gotten a lot of attention this week in Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper.

   First is a piece that puts the Republican battle in 2010 for Sam Brownback’s Kansas Senate seat under the microscope. A three-term senator, Brownback will be leaving, possibly to run for governor, and both Republican Reps. Todd Tiahrt and Jerry Moran want to move up.

   The story says the race between the two long-serving lawmakers will be more about "personality" than issues. It quotes an unnamed Kansas Republican as saying, "Tiahrt is more your drinking buddy. Moran’s more of your class president."

    Not sure that's bumper sticker material, at least for Tiahrt, anyway.

   The ripple effect of their likely contest will produce races for their own congressional seats, which they would have to vacate to run for the Senate. And there the list of potential contenders is long.

   Meanwhile, Roll Call also took a look at the celebrity vaccuum on Capitol Hill with the departures of Sens. Barack Obama to the White House and Hillary Clinton to Foggy Bottom.

   What’s a congressional stargazer to do?

   Players whose wattage Roll Call expects to rise include Democratic Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Dick Durbin of Illinois. Both are close Obama allies.

   Others possibly bound for political stardom could be Democratic Sens. Jim Webb of Virginia and Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

   Without Obama and Clinton, who draw more light than a black hole, Roll Call says the field is wide open.

   Republican-wise, the story mentions Sen. John McCain, a household name. But that’s it. The newspaper says the party is looking for new leaders.