Democrats driving for 60 Senate seats

Tom Curry National affairs writer • Profile • E-mail

WASHINGTON - Over a year ago, in August 2007, I went out on a limb and wrote that “it now looks possible that in next year’s elections the Democrats just might attain the 60 seats they need to foil Republican filibusters.”

That possibility seemed far-fetched then. Today it seems feasible.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told reporters at a Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday that the prospect of his party getting 60 seats “are better than they were two weeks ago; they keep getting better, but you don’t know until you get much closer” to Election Day.

The Democrats now hold 51 seats, if one includes Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Joe Lieberman, both independents.

Republicans haven't gotten good news recently in their efforts to defend the 23 Republican-held seats that are on the ballot next month.

Polling shows Democrats ahead in Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia and New Hampshire.

The Alaska race appears to be a tie — although much hinges on the jury verdict in Sen. Ted Stevens's trial in Washington, D.C., on charges of failing to disclose gifts. His Democratic foe is Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich.

Schumer contended that Democratic challengers are leading in Oregon and North Carolina, although public polls are somewhat equivocal.

Obama targeting North Carolina
In North Carolina, Sen. Elizabeth Dole is struggling to fend off Democrat Kay Hagan.

Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has targeted the state’s 15 electoral votes. “In North Carolina, we’re working very closely together (with the Obama campaign). Obama has a great field operation in North Carolina,” Schumer said.

“North Carolina has same-day voter registration, which is a big advantage — so the enthusiastic voter who hadn’t registered six months ago can actually vote.”

In Minnesota, former comedian Al Franken is in a tight race with Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman.

The Mississippi seat held by Sen. Roger Wicker, who was appointed to replace Trent Lott, is also in jeopardy for the GOP. Wicker faces a well-funded challenge by former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. The last Democrat to win a Senate election in Mississippi was the segregationist James Eastland in 1972.

Now, according to Schumer, the Georgia Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss is also coming within Democrats’ grasp. Chambliss is battling Democrat Jim Martin.

Is GOP Leader McConnell at risk?
Democrats even think they can topple Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky, a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in 16 years. Democrat Bruce Lunsford is trying to unseat McConnell.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's first ad in the Kentucky race began airing Wednesday.

McConnell’s vote for the financial sector bailout bill, which the Senate passed last week, may make him vulnerable to attack. Although Schumer noted that he himself supported the bailout, he did not rule out the Senate campaign committee using the vote to attack GOP incumbents such as McConnell.

One Republican official said it's way too early to call the Nov. 4 elections for the Democrats.

“Polls show that most of the competitive Senate races are currently in dead heats — that’s encouraging news for us going into Election Day since we have much stronger candidates,” said Rebecca Fisher, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Democrats should have learned from past experiences that it’s dangerous to predict victory this far out.”

Why 60 is the Holy Grail
Sixty seats is the Holy Grail because that’s the number of senators needed to curtail debate and bring a matter to a final vote.

Video Palin on McCain's economic plan Oct. 8: Speaking at a Pennsylvania rally, Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin touts John McCain's economic revival plan. MSNBC

With 60 Democratic senators next year, the Republican minority would be unable to stop any legislation that the Democratic leadership was intent on passing.

And unless the Republicans got help from conservative-centrist Democratic senators, such as Ben Nelson of Nebraska, they would be powerless to block any presidential nomination, if the president happens to be a Democrat.

If Obama is in the White House next year, he could nominate to serve on federal courts liberal “judicial activists” viewed by Republicans as dangerous. There would be little that Republicans could do to keep such nominees from getting lifetime appointments.

There are now 11 vacancies on the federal appeals courts and 33 on the federal district (trial) courts. And Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who turns 89 next spring, may well retire next year.

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