By Bob Benenson, CQ Staff
It is notable that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is not yet engaging the party faithful in happy talk about a big rebound in 2010, after the big setbacks over the past two election cycles that plunged the GOP into the Senate minority.
The NRSC, which orchestrates the Republicans’ national Senate campaign efforts, is emphasizing quite the opposite, at least at this early point in the 2010 campaign cycle. Its fundraising appeals urge Republican activists to send money to prevent the Democrats from gaining even more seats — which would push them Democrats past the “filibuster-proof” majority of 60 seats.
The Republicans’ caution appears justified, according to CQ Politics’ just-published ratings of the 36 Senate races scheduled for November 2010. Democrats, who have 17 seats on state ballots next year, will have to play serious defense in several races. But Republicans, who hold 19 of the seats up for election next year, have even more seats that CQ Politics rates as vulnerable.
With the caveat that these ratings will change over the year and a half before the midterm elections, seven of the nine rated No Clear Favorite (or tossup) by CQ Politics are now held by Republicans ...
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