Five new McClatchy/Marist polls (2xPA,2xCO,WI) - no surprises.

[FBaggins]

Hickenlooper firms up his lead in CO - He's not even in danger if Tancredo and Maes could get out of each other's way... much like Crist/Meek in FL.

Wisconsin Senate - Johnson 52, Feingold 45
Colorado Senate - Buck 50, Bennet 42
Colorado Governor -Hickenlooper 48, Tancredo 29, Maes 19
Pennsylvania Senate - Toomey 51, Sestak 42
Pennsylvania Governor - Corbett 53, Onorato 41

Continued "enthusiasm gap" highlighting how critical GOTV will be to limit losses:

In each state, Republicans are benefitting from an enthusiasm gap, where their supporters are much more eager to turn out and vote on Nov. 2. In Colorado, for example, the Democrat leads 41 percent to 40 percent among registered voters. However, the contest flips among those most likely to vote, who give the Republican an 8-point lead.

...snip...


Democrats might cut the enthusiasm gap, he said, if they could generate more excitement among their voters or dampen the energy on the Republican side.

"The Republicans haven't closed the sale. But there's not many shopping days left for the Democrats," Miringoff said.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/10/01/101500/gop-senate-candidates-lead-in.html#ixzz11DQLCFte

[Upton]

1. Feingold is looking more and more like he's toast

and Nate has the odds of the GOP taking over the Senate up to 22%. They take both chambers, we're screwed. I'm just going to continue to hope that things aren't as bad as they appear...thing is, I know better.

[FBaggins]

2. I don't know about "screwed" - Clinton did fine after losing both houses

We could actually be better off in the long run with a nominally republican Senate that can't get past an Obama veto (nor pass anything of consequence), then we would be with a 50-50 senate (with Biden breaking the tie) and have to deal with a "Democratic" Senate that can't actually pass anything (let alone deal with a filibuster) because of Nelson/Lieberman.

Of course... I'd rather lose 3-4 seats (and get to watch a split republican party self destruct over their lost opportunity) than either of those options.