Democrats will control the Senate: 52 - 48

[welshTerrier2]

we're looking really good to take back the Senate ...

source: http://www.electoral-vote.com/

Early in the year, the Republicans couldn't control their glee at the possibility of picking up as many as five Senate seats in the South, which has become increasingly Republican over the years. But a funny thing happened on the way to the election. The voters had different ideas. Not only are the Democrats holding four of the five seats in the South, but they are leading in all three formerly Republican seats. They are also leading in the only two really contested seats in which an incumbent might lose: Alaska and South Dakota.

If the Senate election were held today, the Democrats would take control of the Senate, 52-48 (counting independent Sen. Jeffords as a Democrat, since he caucuses with the Democrats). And this realignment does not take into account the possibility that Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) might pull a Jeffords and jump ship. He is from a hugely Democratic state and, like Zell Miller, would be much more appreciated in the other party. The only reason Chafee hasn't switched is out of a sense of duty to his late father, John Chafee, who was a respected Republican senator from RI. Here is the current polls. For more details about the individual races, see the Senate page.

State..........Democrat (pct)........Republican (pct)
Alaska.........Tony Knowles (47%)....Lisa Murkowski (41%)
Colorado.......Ken Salazar (50%).....Pete Coors (46%)
Florida........Betty Castor (49%)....Mel Martinez (43%)
Georgia........Denise Majette (37%)..Johnny Isakson (53%)
Illinois.......Barack Obama (68%)....Alan Keyes (17%)
Louisiana......"John" (47%)..........David Vitter (44%)
North Carolina.Erskine Bowles (45%)..Richard Burr (44%)
Oklahoma.......Brad Carson (44%).....Tom Coburn (37%)
South Carolina.Inez Tenenbaum (46%)..Jim DeMint (43%)
South Dakota...Tom Daschle (48%).....John Thune (46%)

[SCDem]

1. A new Mason-Dixon poll out in SC

about the senatorial race... heard it on the radio while driving to work today that said that Inez only has like 30something% and Demented I mean DeMint has 51%. That is just absurd. I mean I know so many Republicans that are voting for Inez because they think DeMint has campaign promises (getting rid of the IRS) that parallel a seventh grade class president running on outlawing homework!

I don't know the history or political leaning of the Mason Dixon polls but it seems pretty fishy to me.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. similarly, in north carolina......

gov. easley(D) holds a double digit lead over his gubernatorial opponent, and at one time erskine held a double digit lead over richard burr. burr has been running a very nasty & obviously effective ad campaign, while erskine calls on him to stop negative campaigning? i'm sorry, but you have to fight fire with fire, this is just too important. on the up side, i'm seeing & hearing a lot more bowles ads & a lot more bowles bumperstickers & yard signs over the past couple of weeks. i hope he starts to open up a good lead pretty soon.