The State of the Race For 2008 – US Senate – Dems 56 GOP 42 Ties 2
Political graphic from Electoral-Vote.Com
- Democrats – 56 seats
- Republicans – 42 seats (Georgia will possibly be going to a run-off election subsequent to posting of graphic)
- Two seats (Oregon, Minnesota) could swing to either side (currently the GOP is winning both seats)
The number 41 is the important one for the GOP. 41 votes gives them a filibuster so they can stop especially heinous legislation.
However, there is talk that President Obama could offer administration positions to moderate GOP Senators, Arlene Specter, R-PA or yesterday re-elected Susan Collins, R-Maine. Democrat Governors in those states would appoint a Democrat replacement Senator and swing the balance toward the democrats.
44 Senate seats is a much better number for the GOP and then there is the question of independent Senator Joe Lieberman, but that is another post.
For now, Democrats have picked up five Senate seats but he Democrats fell several votes short of the 60-vote filibuster-proof Senate that they were seeking and also failed to get rid of a key Senate target: Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky:
- Colorado
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Virginia
Stay tuned as vote counting continues.
Technorati Tags: U.S. Senate, GOP, Democrats
2 Comments
Ling
Minnesota is going to take a long time for a recount, I think. Anyway, hardly matters, since they still won’t get to 60, even with Lieberman. The Dems overestimated their wave. So I think we can expect another 4 years of a do-nothing Congress, huh?
Flap
Ling,
The first few months, the Dems will try to push some big spending “wedge” issues and the GOP will hammer out some compromise legislation. The left and Labor unions will push “card check” and gay marriage while the economy craters further.
It is in foreign policy where Obama’s attention will be diverted as world leaders test him like Biden said during the campaign.