What about the Senate Battles?

I did want to get in one article about the so-called "down ballot" races. Unlike the Presidential race, the Senate looks like a massacre. I just can't believe what I am seeing. If I were Joe Lieberman, I would be going all in with McCain too. Come November 5, Joe won't have a party, or any leverage with either side. His only hope for future viability is in a McCain administration.

The Senate Picture is a wipe out for Democrats. Look at this:

Virginia--John Warner (R) is retiring, and Mark Warner (D) is a popular ex-Governor, future Presidential candidate, and has a 25% (that's right, 25%) lead on Jim Gilmore, the Republican candidate. I didn't believe the number, but it seems like there are a number of polls confirming this. I don't even think an endorsement from St. Peter could help him close the gap here.
Brand D takes Virginia

New Mexico--Pete Domenici (R) is retiring. Tom Udall is up double digits in a race that doesn't seem very competitive, in a state that isn't competitive from a Presidential standpoint either. I am really surprised at this. NM was a state that was really 50/50, and the fact that Udall seems to be winning in a cake walk is either a testament to his skills, or the lack of a serious contender in the Republican party for the seat.
Brand D takes New Mexico

Colorado--Wayne Allard is retiring. Mark Udall (I think they are all related to former Congressman Mo Udall somehow...) is also winning in a state that should be competitive, but the race has been just short of a lock for months now. Interesting...
Brand D takes Colorado

New Hampshire--Jeanne Shaheen has been out in front of John Sununu, who is probably too conservative for a state that has tacked to the left in recent years. Interestingly, the state polls have showed McCain making a charge, but still behind. It doesn't look good for Sununu, who is behind in every poll I see, sometimes by double digits. Tough to make up in a week...
Brand D takes New Hampshire

Alaska--Ted Stevens is on trial for corruption charges, and it looks increasingly grim that the case will be decided before election day. If that's the case, Mark Begich has a lead in the polls, and has an excellent shot at winning the race, in a status quo development to 11/4. Begich has a better than 50/50 shot.
Brand D takes Alaska.

North Carolina--Kay Hagen has exposed Elizabeth Dole as an ineffective Senator, and a terrible talent recruiter for the party. Dole has fought back, and it is a tight race. Turnout will be key, and the terrible butterfly ballots could tip the scales in Dole's favor. However, if Obama has a big day, there is little doubt that Hagen will ride those coattails.
Brand D takes NC

That's 6 states. That's huge. There are three MORE that are pick em's--Oregon, Minnesota, and Georgia (can that be possible!?)

Oregon--Gordon Smith is a moderate, and one might even say a RINO (Republican in Name only). However, he is polling behind Jeff Merkeley, and doesn't have much of a party behind him, nor a wind at his back, considering the fact that Oregon will vote for Obama by about 10 points. This could be a tough one to pull out.
My prediction: Brand D takes Oregon

Minnesota--This has gotten nasty, and with two of the better mud-slingers out there--Norm Coleman and Al Franken. The polls are all over the place on this race (partly due to an independent third party taking 15-20% of the electorate). In the end, if Obama gets the big win in Minnesota, I think Franken slides in. I don't think there will be much doubt about where in the political spectrum he ends up. Conservatives will target this seat with a bullseye in 2014, if Franken wins.
My prediction: Brand d takes Minnesota

Georgia--This race is almost impossible to me. A Democrat taking Georgia back? Really? It IS possible, though, with a large Democratic turnout, and an electorate who remembers how Chambliss used some pretty graphic images to defeat Max Cleland, insinuating a lack of patriotism. This has been on Democratic wish lists for 5 years. I don't think they can overcome the power of Brand R, though
My prediction: Brand R takes Georgia.

But with 8 seats, and Lieberman quitting the caucus, the Dems end up with 57 seats (50 +8 - Lieberman = 57) . Getting to 60 on a filibuster vote isn't a stretch, but there aren't a lot of moderates left in the Republican party. It may be harder to find 3 sympathetic souls than it appears.

Still, I can't believe that the Democrats, who two cycles ago, had 44 members, and looked decimated after 2004, could be in such a place. So much for a Karl Rove-style "Permanent Republican Majority". Do you suppose it's possible that this is NOT really a "Center-Right" country, like I keep hearing so many pundits proclaim?