BALANCE OF POWER: Daschle death match is 1 of 9 tight races with the control of Senate at stake

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/1/4 | Carolyn Lochhead

[SmithL]

Washington -- Sen. Tom Daschle, the nation's top elected Democrat, is in dire danger of losing his South Dakota seat in one of the tightest of nine Senate races that will determine control of the powerful upper chamber.

Former Rep. John Thune is in a dead heat with Daschle in their farming state where the two campaigns and their outside allies have lavished $40 million on fewer than a half a million voters.

Thune is a popular candidate who gave up a quest for the governorship at the urging of the Bush White House to run for the Senate in 2002. He lost to Democrat Tim Johnson by just 524 votes.

In fact, a strange outcome could be brewing for the Senate: Republicans could increase their 51-48 edge by two or even four seats -- even if President Bush loses to his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

That's because the partisan passions aroused by the cliffhanger presidential race could produce big coattails for both parties to grab -- but that works to the GOP's advantage because most of the close Senate contests are deep in Republican territory.

Control of the Senate gives the majority party immense power over the nation's political agenda, including confirmation of nominees to the Supreme Court and other federal benches.

Although the power of the majority is weakened by the filibuster, a Senate rule that allows the minority to block legislation unless proponents can muster a 60-vote supermajority, having the majority determines the leadership of the powerful committees that write legislation.

For Democrats to gain control of the Senate, they need to win seven of the nine tightly contested seats.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Don't let the door hit you on the @$$ on your way out, Tommy Boy.

[savedbygrace]

Daschle, the nation's top elected Democrat, is in dire danger of losing his South Dakota seat in one of the tightest of nine Senate races that will determine

Daschle Democrat dire danger Dakota determine

That's a lot of Ds for one sentence. Hopefully, to be followed by "Da agony of defeat."

[RockinRight]

You beat me to it. That was exactly the thought that popped into my head.

[maxter]

"For Democrats to gain control of the Senate, they need to win seven of the nine tightly contested seats."

Not going to happen.

[Popman]

For Democrats to gain control of the Senate, they need to win seven of the nine tightly contested seats.

People in hell want ice water, also.

Neither of these things are going to happen.

[IamConservative]

How many Republicans do you think we need to break the judicial fillibuster? If we go up to 55 or 56 seats, the (new) minority leader would have to have pretty tight reigns to maintain the fillibuster. Only 4-5 would have to break.

I hope for nothing more than a Bush victory and a near super majority in the Senate so we can get some non-activist judges aboard in the next four years.

[Popman]

First thing Frist needs to do is repeal that stupid super majority rule Trent "jellyfish" Lott allowed to pass.

If we can get to 56 seats, I think things will roll pretty smooth for the SCOTUS battles that will happen next year.

[brothers4thID]

The problem is, many of the more moderate Democrats whom we could count on to swing our way on filibusters are retiring or nearing retirements. Breaux, Miller, Graham (on certain points!) could be counted on to at least consider voting across party lines. I don't see any of the potential new Dem faces as willing bipartisan filibuster breakers.

[headsonpikes]

impediment to the general will???? Rousseauite totalitarian alert!

[headsonpikes]

'Volonte general', as JJ himself might have said it.

Lighten up. ;^)