Political insiders give Richardson the edge in topping the second tier and having the best chance of breaking into the top tier of Democratic presidential candidates.

National Journal asked its insiders: Which long-shot 2008 presidential candidate has the most potential to emerge as a serious contender for your party's nod? The results were as follows:

Democrats:
Bill Richardson: 46%
Tom Vilsack: 25%
Chris Dodd: 23%
Wesley Clark: 4%
Joe Biden: 2%
Mike Gravel: ---
Dennis Kucinich: ---

Poor, poor Joe Biden.