Republicans Optimistic About Retaking Senate

WASHINGTON — Just two years after watching Democrats claim a 60th seat in the Senate, Republicans are heading into the 2012 election season well positioned to challenge them for control of the chamber, giving the party reason for optimism even as it worries about the strength of its presidential field.

With Democrats defending 23 seats to their 10, top Republicans believe they have a built-in advantage in their drive to pick up at least the four seats that would vault them into the majority even if President Obama wins a second term and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. remains able to break Senate ties. And they calculate that their chances are enhanced because important races will be in relatively conservative states like Montana, Nebraska and North Dakota.

“With our encouragement, I do think people are focusing on the Senate and how that can be the place where we can pick up the most yardage in 2012,” said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Democrats are hardly conceding the Senate, and even though the election is 18 months off, campaigns are quickly moving into high gear and contenders are scurrying to raise the millions of dollars they will need.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/us/politics/15senate.html?hpw

They have a lot of momentum after their local-races sweep in 2010.

I know everyone likes to harp on Baucus and Tester for being Blue Dogs, but the Republican alternatives are absolutely horrendous.

The Montana Republican Party STILL has outlawing homosexuality in their party platform. And they like to hold purity tests.

With any luck I'll have moved up there by this time next year, so hopefully I'll be able to do my part and vote against them... but it doesn't look too good right now.

Considering the economy is moving in the right direction and people trust Obama on defense matters (and the GOP lacking a strong candidate), the GOP should not get to arrogant and believe the Senate is theirs.

with all the new Govenors passing voter ID's and I'm sure they'll come up with more gimmicks. I wonder how many SOS's they gained and how many counties are set up like that one in KY they just put in jail. I'll bet Waukesha in WI is set up something like they had it in KY.

gerrymandering, 'voter registration rolls', outright lies, and every other illegal, shady, underhanded campaign tactics, they employ, they could very well gain some more seats.