Dems' fortunes lie with 4 Senate races (WaPo)

[struggle4progress]

The unresolved contests leave their goal of reaching a filibuster-proof majority in limbo
By AMY GOLDSTEIN Washington Post
Nov. 5, 2008, 11:21PM

WASHINGTON — The final shape of the new Senate lingered in doubt Wednesday with a runoff election likely in Georgia, recounts pending in Minnesota and possibly Oregon, and uncertainty over whether the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history had held onto his Alaska seat barely a week after being convicted on corruption charges.

A day after the elections, the four unresolved races meant that the central dynamic of the Senate over the next two years hangs in the balance. The outcomes, which will become clear over the next week to a month, will determine the Democrats' command of the chamber — the extent to which they will need to accommodate Republican views across the entire spectrum of legislation.

Tuesday's vote expanded the Democrats' majority by five senators, giving the party at least 54 seats, plus two Independents who work with the majority. At stake in the four outstanding spots is how close the Democrats will come to a 60-member majority that would inoculate them against GOP filibusters to obstruct bills ...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/6097630.html

[DarthDem]

1. Kos Sez

That the Oregonian has called it for Merkley. Yaaaaaaay! (Currently on Kos front page.)

[Doctor_J]

2. GA is probably not coming over

and, sadly, AK as well. But I will settle for the rest.