At a news conference in Washington, D.C., in December, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declared that 2012 would be a “historic year” for women in the United States Senate.

Six Democratic Senate incumbents facing tough reelection bids brought in big bucks in the final months of 2011.

All of those vulnerable senators raised more than $1 million in the fourth quarter of last year, an early indication of strength for Democrats, who are defending control of the upper chamber.

After a year as a Washington state senator, Michael Baumgartner, 35, is looking for his next job: the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Maria Cantwell. He's the only Republican running so far, but the GOP has yet to fully embrace him.