I hate to bring this up but our dalliance in the minority might be longer than people relaize.
The 2008 makes this year look like a walk through the park
Races to watch
1.1 Retiring Senators
1.2 Possible retiring Senators
1.2.1 Wayne Allard (R) of Colorado
1.2.2 Joe Biden (D) of Delaware
1.2.3 Susan Collins (R) of Maine
1.2.4 Thad Cochran (R) of Mississippi
1.2.5 Elizabeth Dole (R) of North Carolina
1.2.6 Pete Domenici (R) of New Mexico
1.2.7 Chuck Hagel (R) of Nebraska
1.2.8 Jim Inhofe (R) of Oklahoma
1.2.9 John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts
1.2.10 Frank Lautenberg (D) of New Jersey
1.2.11 Carl Levin (D) of Michigan
1.2.12 Pat Roberts (R) of Kansas
1.2.13 Jay Rockefeller (D) of West Virginia
1.2.14 Ted Stevens (R) of Alaska
1.2.15 John Warner (R) of Virginia
1.3 Notable Democratic incumbent races
1.3.1 Dick Durbin of Illinois
1.3.2 Tom Harkin of Iowa
1.3.3 Tim Johnson of South Dakota
1.3.4 Mary Landrieu of Louisiana
1.3.5 Mark Pryor of Arkansas
1.4 Notable Republican incumbent races
1.4.1 Lamar Alexander of Tennessee
1.4.2 Saxby Chambliss of Georgia
1.4.3 Norm Coleman of Minnesota
1.4.4 John Cornyn of Texas
1.4.5 Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
1.4.6 Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
1.4.7 Jeff Sessions of Alabama
1.4.8 Gordon Smith of Oregon
1.4.9 John Sununu of New Hampshire
Looking at the incumbant list what strikes me is we have a much much tougher row to hoe than the Dems
Lets not even talk about if we dont by the grace of God get these Governorships back in Ohio, Colo, etc and somehow get Calif the redistricting under the Census will be brutual
Any California redistricting would probably HELP us, they are already well-districted for democrats.
I don't know what you mean by "notable" races. Every race is equally important.
They don't have to wait for the Census to redistrict any more.