Polls Show Democrat Senate Gains; Oklahoma Not On Watch List

By Aaron Blake/The Hill ~ A flood of recent polls supports Democratic arguments that the party will win a larger majority in the Senate in the next election.

Democrats have now polled ahead or within the margin of error in 11 Republican-held seats, as polls conducted in recent weeks show openings in second-tier targets including Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas.

[Oklahoma is conspicuous by its absence on the list, leading to speculation that liberal Andrew Rice's campaign is not a national Democrat priority.]

There are 23 Republican seats up for grabs this election cycle — including five open seats. Democrats have only 12 members up for reelection and no open seats.

The only Democratic-held seat that is polling close is in Louisiana, where Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) and state Treasurer John Kennedy (R) will face each other. The majority of races that are polling close are in Republican-held seats.

Whether the polls illustrate reality or simply create perception, both sides are taking notice. While the results have provided liberal bloggers and Democratic operatives with cause for enthusiasm, Republicans and some experts urge caution at taking the polls — many of them automated — at face value.

Read the entire story at http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/early-polls-suggest-dems-can-take-many-gop-senate-seats-2008-05-27.html.

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