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I am not predicting specifics just the general outcome. It is more a feeling than anything else, though it has a basis in historical experience. Probably the three best elections for the GOP in Congress in the last sixty years were 1946, 1980, and 1994. In both cases, the GOP made major gains by putting forward a clear and conservative agenda. Those who preach "me too" moderation as the best strategy to make congressional gains don't really have any historical examples to point to.

In both cases, the GOP made major gains by putting forward a clear and conservative agenda.

In 1994, the Democrat base stayed home in droves. The Republican base was just less of a no-show.

This is very shrewd analysis on your part. The Republicans did try a fairly conservative strategy in 1970 but failed miserably overall despite the election of Jim Buckley to the Senate from NY. It amazes me how staunch Republicans think that the way to win is not "to rock the boat" but to "go along to get along." That fails every time as you said. I believe that GW Bush will until the end of his political career always be trying the failed approach to "go along to get along." He can't see the whole country because he is blinded by public opinion polls. The polls are one of the worst things to happen to American election strategy. This talk of "retaking" the Senate is sheer fantasy. Even when the Republicans had 50-50, with Cheney breaking the tie, not much positive was happening in the Senate. Notice how few "profiles in courage" once can find in the Senate today. Even Jesse has "gone soft" at the end of his 30 years. And Phil Gramm is going out, having conducted some kind of senseless quarrel with Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.