2006 Senate Prognosis: 2008 may be a better year.

[usregimechange]

18 Democratic seats are open in 2006 (including Jeffords)
15 Republican seats are open

They had less open in 2004 as well so I am thinking in 2008 we must have far fewer seats open than them. That is good. I predict that 2006 will be a bad year unless we do really well. The way I see it the number of seats that could flip are as follows:

Dem seats that that have a good chance of fliping to the Republicans: 5
Republican seats that have a good chance of fliping: 3

Clearly we have to retain some of the close ones: Nelson, Nelson, Conrad, Byrd's seat, and Bingaman.

We also need to pick up the ripe races in Missouri, Ohio, and Penn. That is Talent, DeWine, and Santorum.

I have hope but I think 2008 could be a much better year. Anyone know the situation in the House?

[Liberty Belle]

1. Who controls the voting machines in those areas?

[Lone Pawn]

2. Local governments. Let's not mix paranoia with planning. n/t

[arcos]

3. The GOP is afraid of losing 25 seats in the House...

at least that's what Novak was quoted as saying a few days ago.

[usregimechange]

5. Are there more GOP house seats up for grabs?

[TheWraith]

8. All the House seats are up every two years.

It's a fact rarely mentioned since the House is so anti-competitive.

[paineinthearse]

4. There are 2 senate race threads in the DEMOCRATS forum tracking the 2006

Senate race. 1 each Dem and Rethug.

I've been posting links to interesting articles and to other DU threads. Feel free to add.

[tritsofme]

6. We may lose a few Senate seats in '06

but I doubt they get themselves to 60, and even if they do, with Bush as a lameduck it would be a much less cohesive majority than we will have seen from 2002-2006.

2008 will be a good year for us, as more Republicans will be up for reelection than Democrats, and America will be burned out on Bush, and will likely be voting for a Democratic President.

I don't see much movement in the House for quite awhile. Both parties gerrymander so much to protect incumbents that there only a handfull of competitive seats each cycle, I think only 3 incumbents were defeated in 2004.

[Califooyah Operative]

7. i think 2006 is looking good for dems -congress and governors races. nt