41.   So they would like to pick off as many open Democratic seats as possible.

42.   Still, his first priority is to retain control of the House, and there are plenty of vulnerable Republicans holding traditionally Democratic seats.

43.   That would leave an even split, even if open Democratic seats in Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and Louisiana all stayed put.

44.   The Cook Report concludes that only two of those open seats are leaning toward changing hands, and both are Democratic seats seen as likely to go Republican.

45.   The GOP picked up Democratic seats in the Senate in Alabama, Nebraska and Arkansas and was positioned to increase its majority.

46.   The loss meant the Democrats needed just two more GOP seats to take back the upper chamber unless the GOP took a Democratic seat.

47.   The open Democratic seats are in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, New Jersey, Illinois, Nebraska and Rhode Island.

48.   Then there are the Democratic open seats in Arkansas and Georgia.

49.   Their region, shifting rightward since the Eisenhower era, is shifting still, and Democrats have had difficult fights in trying to retain those four Southern Democratic seats.

50.   They know it will take a net gain of only six Democratic seats to install Democrats in House positions of power, so they are giving to both sides.