Political pro Chris Cilizza, well-known for his “Friday Line” of Senate race-ranking, has just issued his final predictions before election day. His estimate? Dems will gain 8 seats, bringing them just shy of 60 votes and a fillibuster-proof majority.
As we’ve said before, Democrats currently hold a 51 – 49 majority in the U.S. Senate, with the 51st vote being that very independent (read turning Republican) Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. If Dems gain 8 seats, still counting Lieberman, they’ll be just shy of the 60 seat goal.
Says Cilizza,
Does that mean 60 seats are out of the question? Absolutely not. Of the 11 seats on the Line, 10 are held by Republicans and there is a real case to be made in each one that the Democratic candidate can win.
Amazing to think that just months ago, even the most optimistic of predictions were unlikely to think 60 votes was a real possibility.
The two biggest moves in Cilizza’s list were:
- –(Not surprisingly) the move of Ted Stevens’ Alaska seat from 8th to 4th. According to Cilizza, “The conviction of Sen. Ted Stevens (R) on seven felony counts in his federal corruption trial would seem to seal the longtime incumbent’s fate.” But, he guesses that, “Stevens loses but by a far narrower margin than you might expect.” (Is Stevens the only one who hasn’t heard he was convicted?)
- –And the inclusion of Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D) seat in Louisiana, the only Democratic seat in the list.
The Council’s continuously-updated list of polls is available here.
Full rankings from Cilizza after the jump.
- Louisiana (D)
- Kentucky (R)
- Georgia (R)
- Minnesota (R)
- Oregon (R)
- North Carolina (R)
- New Hampshire (R)
- Alaska (R)
- Colorado (R)
- New Mexico (R)
- Virginia (R)
