The Dynasty Effect.

On Wednesday, Rory Reid, son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid launched his Nevada campaign for governor. Yesterday, Beau Biden said that he was "absolutely" considering running for the Senate seat formerly held by his father. Add that to the likes of Rand Paul, Robin Carnahan and Ethan Hastert -- and you've got multiple family ties influencing next year's races.

In a post-Kennedy age, I wonder -- will the family name be an asset or a liability? The answer: a bit of both.

Biden – should he officially commit to the race – has an attorney general position and a round in Iraq Afghanistan under his belt. And, most vital to the state polls: The Biden name is revered in Delaware, says Nathan Gonzales, political editor of The Rothenberg Political Report. (That said, it still might not be enough -- a recent Daily Kos poll shows Biden deadlocked with Republican Rep. Mike Castle.).

More likely to benefit from a family legacy is Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan. She’ll vie for a Senate seat with a long line of Democratic politicians behind her: father Gov. Mel Carnahan was elected to the Senate posthumously, brother Rep. Russ Carnahan is on his third House term, and grandfather Rep. A.S.J. Carnahan served seven.

Meanwhile, Ron Paul’s Texas ties and constituency do little for his son’s Republican Senate bid in Kentucky. The main benefit of the family connection for him is access to a fanatical grass-roots fundraising machine. In June, Rand’s campaign collected more than $25,000 in one day. Pretty impressive for an eye surgeon who has never run for office before, but probably not enough to earn him Bunning's seat.

Perhaps most damaging is County Commissioner Rory Reid’s name. With Harry Reid’s plummeting poll numbers and his campaign’s decision this week to start running Nevada ads a full year before the election, the negative buzz may hurt the younger Reid’s gubernatorial bid. (Looks like he knows it, too. Official campaign signs and stickers -- “Rory 2010” -- ditch the surname completely.)

Jennifer Duffy, senior editor at The Cook Political Report, says that in Reid’s case, the family ties are a burden. Voters are inherently distrustful of politicians, and given the current economic and health-care debacles in Congress, it doesn’t bode well for the Reid clan that Harry is among those who are front and center. “Timing is everything, and Reid’s is not so good,” said Duffy. “2010 is not a great year to be perceived as ‘dynasty-building.’”

-- Melissa Harrison

Melissa Harrison is a Prospect fall 2009 intern.