Kennedy's death and the changing of the Senate landscape

As you've seen by now, Sen. Ted Kennedy lost his battle with brain cancer late last night. Much will be said about his lasting career in the coming days (he's the only Kennedy brother to die of natural causes), and his death will lead to a number of changes that could affect the landscape of the Senate. These changes could ultimately open a chairmanship for Sen. Blanche Lincoln on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Many speculate that the vacancy of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chairmanship left by Sen. Ted Kennedy's death will go to acting Chairman Chris Dodd, meaning that he'll be forced to give up his chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee. But If Dodd stays at Banking, the next ranking Democrat for HELP is Sen. Tom Harkin. He would have to give up his Agriculture Committee chairmanship, which would promote Sen. Lincoln all the way into the chairmanship unless Sens. Leahy, Conrad and Baucus give up their chairmanships of other other committees.