Democrats broaden their control of Senate

But some observers believe hard-line Democrats hoping to bring a unified party to the new Senate may be disappointed.

Many of the new Democratic senators will more than likely bring some of their state's conservative values to the Senate and may vote against the party line on some social and economic issues. Also, the conservative Democrats already in the Senate sometimes vote with Republicans. That group includes Democrats from Nebraska, Montana, Louisiana, West Virginia and both Dakotas.

As the Cook Report's Jennifer Duffy explained it, "There are enough Democrats who abandon the party's position on any given issue to make 60 something of a false number."

Still, Democrats will wield more control in committees because committee membership is proportional to the size of the Senate majority. Currently, the Democrats' slim majority translates into a one-seat advantage on almost every committee. But the Democrats could pick up as many as two more seats per committee. The final numbers are negotiated with Senate Republican leaders.

Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, one of two independents who align with Democrats, is threatened with the loss of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee as payback for actively supporting the presidential bid of Republican Sen. John McCain. Reid, the majority leader, said he would meet with Lieberman later in the week to discuss the matter.

"Now that the election is over, it is time to put partisan considerations aside and come together as a nation to solve the difficult challenges we face and make our blessed land stronger and safer," Lieberman said in a written statement. He had harshly criticized Obama in a speech at the GOP nominating convention in September.

Democrats will also lose two incumbents: Obama and Biden. Democratic governors in Illinois and Delaware are sure to appoint Democrats to replace them.

Democrats had fewer seats to defend than Republicans. Of the 35 races on Tuesday's ballot, 23 were held by Republicans, 12 by Democrats.

Targeting Stevens
Another possible pickup for Democrats: Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. Stevens, at 84, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, sought re-election despite calls from GOP leaders to resign after he was convicted last week of seven counts of lying on Senate financial disclosure forms.

He was locked in a tight contest with Democrat Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage.

With more than 40,000 absentee ballots to be counted within 10 days of the election, Stevens went home late Tuesday to get some sleep, his political future uncertain.

Republican Sen. Gordon Smith in Oregon was also on the list of Democratic targets.

Republicans held the Nebraska seat of retiring Sen. Chuck Hagel, with former Gov. Mike Johanns defeating Democrat Scott Kleeb, a college history instructor. Johanns resigned as Bush's agriculture secretary to make the race.

Republicans also held the Idaho seat of Sen. Larry Craig, who decided not to run for re-election after he was caught last year in a men's room sting. Idaho Lt. Gov. Jim Risch won the seat.

Republican incumbent senators who cruised to re-election included Lindsay Graham in South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Sessions in Alabama, James Inhofe in Oklahoma, Lamar Alexander in Tennessee, Pat Roberts in Kansas, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, John Cornyn of Texas and Michael Enzi in Wyoming. Sen. John Barrasso, appointed after Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas died, was elected to fill the remaining four years of Thomas' term.

Democratic senators easily winning re-election included Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Dick Durbin of Illinois, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Carl Levin of Michigan, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Max Baucus of Montana, Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

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