Democrats Striving for Lock on Senate Control

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Democrats Striving for Lock on Senate Control
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 31, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A usually elusive 60-40 Senate majority is the Democrats' target in Tuesday's election. They are certain to make gains even if they fall short of those magic numbers needed to break Republican chokeholds on their agenda.

Democratic Senate candidates will benefit from any coattail effect a big Obama victory might bring, as well as from the already weak economy and an unpopular war. Math also favors Democratic Senate candidates this year. With 35 of the Senate's 100 seats on the ballot Tuesday, Democrats have fewer at risk than do Republicans.

After picking up six seats in the 2006 midterm elections to wrest control from Republicans, Democrats have the barest of Senate majorities -- 51 seats under their control, including two occupied by independents. But they are overwhelmingly favored to pick up GOP-held seats in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado, three states where Republican senators are retiring.

And many Republican incumbents running for re-election are in difficult races. Included in that group is Ted Stevens of Alaska, the longest-serving Republican senator in history who was convicted earlier this week on seven corruption counts....Also on the list of endangered Republicans: Sens. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina; John Sununu of New Hampshire; Norm Coleman of Minnesota; Gordon Smith of Oregon; Saxby Chambliss of Georgia; Roger Wicker of Mississippi and possibly even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

No Democratic-held seats appear in jeopardy, and just one Democratic senator, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, faces a serious challenge....

National Democrats are taking full advantage of the Obama campaign's organizing skills and registration drives, especially in battleground states....

In a mirror reflection of (Democratic) optimism, Republicans are glum. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, says there's no question that the top of the ticket is affecting Senate races, along with the financial crisis....

He acknowledged that Democrats could still exercise firm control by just coming close to the 60 votes: ''I think if the Democrats get to 57 or 58 seats, on a lot of issues they will be able to override a Senate filibuster, because they seem to be able to pick off a few Republicans on a lot of the particular issues.''...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Senate-Stakes.html

[opihimoimoi]

1. For the Sake of Humanity...PLZ let it BE.....

:toast:

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Ditto.