http://www.electoral-vote.com/Right now there are five very winnable states that currently are owned by GOP although one of them (FL) is being vacated by the end of the term. I know the polls are early and this crazy world my change between now and 2010 but there are 5 very viable races for democrats to pickup even more senators and a 6th seat if the GOP & RSCC keep their promise to run candidates in the primaries against Republicans that supported the Stimulus bill.
1.) Alaska: Lisa Murkowski should have been a goner in 2004 but it wasn't a good year for democrats and senate races. She still has the black cloud over her head of being the daughter of the most corrupt Alaskan family, one that even Sarah Palin says "At least I'm not as bad as them". With Ted Stevens being unseated in 2008 perhaps we're finding that democrats can win Alaska. Will Tony Knowles take another chance and run against Murkowski or a fresh face step up to the plate.
2.) South Dakota: This was the revenge race of 2004 with the Republicans wanting to bring down Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Ok you had your fun but Thune has hardly impressed South Dakotans. And if lone State Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, a popular democrat in SD, runs against Thune we could get revenge against the republicans for their revenge.
3.) Louisiana: David Vitter now has 2 strikes against him - he cheated on his wife with prostitutes and now he berated an airline employee for closing the the security gate even though it was Vitter's fault for being 20 minutes late for his flight. If Vitter manages to win his primary race he could be an easy target for a democratic pick-off.
4.) Kentucky: Jim Bunning barely won this race in 2004 and polls aren't looking good that he'll win this one, especially since Bunning wont' release his recent internal polling which probably showed that he doesn't have a chance to win this one. Bunning has threatened the RNC with resigning this seat if the RNC runs an opponent in the primaries. Such a move would allow the KY democratic governor to place a democrat in the senate seat and giving that democrat an edge in the 2010 election.
5.) Florida: Mel Martinez is retiring after one term which leaves Florida wide open for the pickings. Recent statewide elections including the 2008 presidential elections have been favoring democrats. If FL can find the right candidate we could win the state again.
6.) Pennsylvania - but only if the GOP keep their promise to run primary candidates against Republican senators who voted for the Stimulus. Three republicans voted for the plan - the 2 gals from Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. There is no senate race in Maine in 2010 which means that Arlen might be challenged in the primaries as payback for his "YES" vote for the Stimulus bill. This concept has Pennsylvanian Democrats dancing in the streets because they know that Arlen Specter in the general election is difficult to beat because he's a Philly native that tends to keep much of the moderate votes that conservatives like Rick Santorum or Lynn Swann would lose. But if Specter runs against a conservative, cut from the cloth of Rick Santorum, in the primaries he'll have a tough time since Philadelphia & Pittsburgh areas have little impact on Republican primaries.