While We're Battling It Out Here For Either HRC or BO We've Taken Our Eye Off The Ball (Senate).....

[global1]

with respect to the Senate.

In the next congress - no matter who wins - McCain, Clinton or Obama - we need to have 60 votes in the Senate. Right now I'm hearing that we may fall three votes short of that goal as some are saying that the Dems are on path to gain only 6 seats.

We need to turn our sights on this matter if we expect to get anything done going forward.

Check out these links: http://www.dscc.org/races and http://www.dscc.org/blog?blog_entry_KEY=129

We've seen record numbers of new Dem voters coming out for the primaries. We need to keep those new voters engaged and energized to carry their votes over to the Senate races.

We need to keep our eye on this prize - because the majority vote in the Senate is as important as winning the presidency.

I understand that we're on path to pick up around 15 - 17 seats in the house. This will further increase our advantage there.

We need to make this 2008 election a landslide victory for the Dems.

[babylonsister]

1. You're right, the pick-ups in Congress will be crucial to getting

lots done. Thanks for the reminder. I just hope all those crossover voters will vote Dem all the way down the ticket, especially if they're as disgusted with the current admin as we are.

[susankh4]

2. Not Me!

I am well aware that we will need to maintain our congressional lead... if we get a Dem Prez for them to work with.

And I'm also aware that we'll have a narrow window of opportunity to REALLY make change. Because, history tells us that whoever controls the White House tends to lose control of congress over time.

I am gonna be working my a88 off for Universal Health Care to happen FIRST! And my eyes are on who in the legislature will be MOST likely to hold our new Prez's feet to fire on that!

[groovedaddy]

3. Too True! Here's a link to a discussion on unseating that bastard

Mitch McConnell:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2921165&mesg_id=2921165

[Uben]

4. I suggest the Siegelman strategy

Let's just throw three of them in jail. They need to pass a new law making it illegal to be a senator and a republican at the same time.

[sabbat hunter]

5. it is extremely hard

to get to 60 seats in the Senate, or a 2/3rds majority in the house. You can probably count on one hand how many times that has happened.

if we get 6 seats, bringing our total to 56, we can throw Lieberman out, try and recruit some of the more liberal Republicans to vote with us on major issues to get to 60.

We have currently 51 but only because Lieberman caucuses with us. So I do not count him.

[global1]

13. I Know It's Extremely Hard - But This Time Around We Have A Lot.....

going for us in terms of the public being fed up with *CO and their lies and manipulations. We see it in the voter turnout in the primaries. The voting public is fed-up and want a watershed change in D.C. We can't sit back and say - using a phrase that our current president uses that "It's hard work".

If we ever had a chance at gaining the 60 seats in the senate - we are in the best position in decades to achieve that.

Now how do we make it happen? This is what we need to turn our energies towards.

[suston96]

6. I am looking for the poll that tells the preference spread between Democrats and Republicans...nt

[Uben]

7. I haven't seen it in here

LOL

[suston96]

10. Here is something.......

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Senate/Maps/Feb26-s.html

[cali]

8. i haven't: NM: Udall 20+ pts ahead of Wilson and Pearce

CO: Udall even with Schaeffer. VA: Warner 20+ pts up on Gilmore. MN: Franken marginally ahead of Coleman. NH: Shaheen up 20 pts over Sununu. OR: Tightening up, but still a ways to go. Alaska: It's a possibility. ME: Tough one here, but I think Allen can possibly do it.

[jimbot]

9. This thread reminds me of the old DU

Sorry if I'm waxing nostalgic and I have nothing to add to this discussion other than an observation.
These non-candidate oriented threads seem to be DU as I remember it...mostly civil discussion that united us. Could be that paid-posters/attackers don't care to post in threads that don't use one of the candidates in the title.
It seems like the candidate-oriented threads have been taken over by some unknown entity.

Peace,
--JT

[suston96]

11. This is a couple of months old......

http://www.pollingreport.com/cong2008.htm

[9119495]

12. I think Obama might be the first president with

"true coat-tails" in a long time. I think he will pull in reps and senators like he did in the Virginia primary in Winn's district.

[grantcart]

14. From the files

Tsunami in the Senate
Posted by grantcart in General Discussion
Sun Jan 06th 2008, 01:03 PM
Next year will be the election for the 2nd Class of Senators and it brings forth a perfect storm for Democrats.

Of the 33 Senators up for election 21 are Republicans and 12 are Democrats.
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference...

Of the democrats all but one is in a seat that is considered either very strong or strong and should run with little or no opposition and that is Landrieu in LA.

Of the republicans 9 seats are considered contestable. This does not include wild card seats like Craig ID, or Trent MS in which the republicans will have no incumbent.

4 Seats are vacated by retiring Allard CO, Domenici NM, Hagel NE, Warner VA.

4 Seats are held by republicans in democratic states; Coleman MN, Smith OR, Sununu NH, Collins ME

1 Seat is occupied by a republican currently being investigated by the FBI and could be taken if a good candidate runs
Stevens AL.

The Democratic Senate Campaign has been outraising the republicans by a 10-1 ratio.

It is easier for the Democrats to recruit good candidates because 1) Likely presidential coattails, 2)Higher interest in working in the majority party.

And finally we have the 'Macaca' factor. The rest of the republican candidates will say something stupid and Dean's strategy of having a good candidate in every contest will provide some surprises.

[global1]

15. Great Info - Thanks For Adding It To This Thread - Now If We Can Only .....

K & R so more of DU will have a chance to see and get active here.

[grantcart]

16. I think that after Mar 4th we are all going to have a lot of time on our

hands and we should start tracking Senate races - and that is why I prepared it - maybe you can get Skinner to start a seperate forum for it.

[halobeam]

17. kick