Here's a Senate Campaign in Need of Money and/or Reality Check

Here's the #1 reason to suspect your Senate campaign may be in trouble: "Your campaign slogan is 'My father used to be President'"

That pretty much sums up Jack Carter's campaign for a Nevada U.S. Senate seat. The eldest son of former president Jimmy Carter filed his candidacy last week. He dodged a primary fight when Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman decided not to run, giving Mr. Carter an unobstructed shot at the GOP incumbent. He told a British paper: "I'm going to use [my father's] name to raise money and get in the door. I have a certain celebrity status."

He's yet to tap into that, ahem, "celebrity" status judging by the polls. But at least parental indulgence is not in short supply. Next month, former President Carter and wife Rosalynn will undertake a thankless, five-city tour in search of funds for Jack's campaign. Their itinerant cup-rattling on junior's behalf is scheduled to bring them to San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Houston and Austin.

Meanwhile, a Zogby poll in March had incumbent Republican John Ensign comfortably beating Mr. Carter by 14 points. If he is to have even a remote shot at beating Mr. Ensign, Mom and Dad will have to raise a lot more money, and quickly. According to Political MoneyLine, Mr. Carter's campaign had $450,000 to Mr. Ensign's $3 million at the end of March.

If the status thing doesn't help, maybe he can tap into some of his father's ideas. Oh, right, that didn't work out too well either.