Senate Majority in Reach for Republicans

Guess who's No. 1?

(NEWSER) - When it comes to the most covered candidates of the midterm elections, is it any surprise that Tea Partiers claim five of the top 10 slots? The Pew’s Project for Excellence in Journalism analyzed the election stories produced by 52 TV networks, websites, radio stations, and newspapers since Jan. 1 and added up those in which a candidate was featured in more than 50% of the story. Its results:

1. Christine O’Donnell: the lead newsmaker in 160 stories
2. Meg Whitman: 90 stories
3. Rand Paul: 88 stories
4. Joe Sestak: 85 stories
5. Sharron Angle: 80 stories

These races will decide just how good the GOP's night is

(NEWSER) - It’s Election Day, folks, and we're here to give you the low-down. All eyes are certainly on the Senate, where Democrats have a chance to keep their majority, provided they can win a few close races. Here's what's happening, according to the Washington Post , complete with links to our patented story grids on each race. More»

She's now ahead in polls, but Delaware GOP is fighting back

(NEWSER) - If you thought Christine O'Donnell's anti-masturbation stance and "strange" ways were going to keep her from winning tomorrow's Delaware Republican Senate primary, think again. A new poll shows she's leading Rep. Mike Castle 47% to 44%—in other words, a dead heat, since the poll has a 3.8% margin of error, Politico reports. That's quite a jump from last month, when 60% of Delaware Republicans indicated a preference for Castle. "This race is too close to call and could certainly go either way," says a Public Policy Polling rep. More»

These shaky Dem incumbents could be next to make the GOP's day

(NEWSER) - The decision by Indiana Senator Evan Bayh not to seek reelection has put 10 Democratic seats—and the majority—firmly in reach of Republicans in the upcoming election. Politico looks at 5 most likely to make the job easier for the GOP:

• Arkansas: Blanche Lincoln trailed a likely GOP challenger by an astounding 23 points in a recent poll, and even if she drops out there is no clear replacement.

Former senator gets painted as lobbyist, carpetbagger

(NEWSER) - Dan Coats would like to take his seat again as senator from Indiana, but first the Republican needs to get by an avalanche of Democratic opposition research. In the week following his announcement of plans to challenge Evan Bayh, Dems, resolved not to repeat the unexpected loss in Massachusetts, hit Coats with damning info about work as a lobbyist, his Virginia residency, and even a YouTube video where he indicates he would like to move to North Carolina. “We just hit him with a freight train,” an official tells Politico . More»