10 Senate Seats Likely to Flip

Dems could pick up 8 seats; GOP could oust Landrieu in La.

(NEWSER) - With 35 Senate seats up for grabs Tuesday, Chris Cillizza, in the Washington Post, predicts Democrats will flip eight. Two more are close calls for the Dems, while the GOP has one hope for a pickup. Starting with the most likely:

1. Virginia is in the bag for Mark Warner; he might even get 60% of the vote.
2. New Mexico will fall easily to Tom Udall...
3. ...while his cousin, Mark Udall, has pulled away in Colorado.

New Dems from VA, NM, CO likely

(NEWSER) - The GOP's best case-scenario sees the party losing only three Senate seats this fall. Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza runs down the races most likely to flip a vote:

10. Mississippi: Trent Lott replacement Roger Wicker has never been elected statewide, and Barack Obama's coattails should draw in the large black population.

9. Minnesota: Al Franken remains promising, but he's no sure thing, thanks to back taxes and Playboy bylines.

(NEWSER) - Kay Hagan defeated Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina and at least four other Democrats captured Republican seats in the Senate as the party inched toward a filibuster-proof goal of 60 seats, ABC News reports. It's going down to the wire. Democrats now have 56 seats, and four races remain undecided, including Al Franken's in Minnesota. Republicans got help with victories from Mitch McConnell in Kentucky and Roger Wicker in Mississippi. More»

Deep-pocketed stars are raising money for Dem candidates

(NEWSER) - Powerful Hollywood women are reorganizing after Hillary Clinton's failed presidential bid, turning their attention toward increasing the Democratic majority in the Senate. A fundraiser Sept. 27 could raise more than $1 million for candidates, and is being put together by the likes of Jane Fonda, Kate Capshaw, Penny Marshall, Daryl Hannah, Laura Dern, and Sarah Jessica Parker. More»

He now seems more comfortable cracking jokes

(NEWSER) - Senate colleagues expecting humor from funnyman and freshman lawmaker Al Franken have gotten just the opposite, though insiders say the Minnesota senator is getting into the groove and loosening up a bit. Since taking office last year, Franken has snapped at administration officials , Joe Lieberman , and Republican legislators. Now, he’s the model of bipartisanship with numerous across-the-aisle bills, and he’s even making jokes. More»