Could Lieberman Hold The Senates Balance of Power Post-November?
As the midterms approach and substantial GOP Senate gains seem inevitable, more attention will fall on Connecticut’s soon-to-be-senior senator, Joseph I. Lieberman. That’s because Lieberman, one of two Independents in the Senate, could become a major target of Republicans if they net nine seats in November. If that were to happen — and it’s still a long shot — Lieberman would become either the Democrats’ 50th vote or the Republicans’ 51st for organizing the Senate. Either way, he could decide which party would control the Senate for the last two years of President Barack Obama’s term. Getting to “plus nine” for Republicans doesn’t look as impossible as it once did. Assuming that the GOP holds all of its own seats, the party would need to win four Democratic open seats (Delaware, North Dakota, Illinois and Indiana) and knock off four Democratic incumbents (Arkansas, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Colorado). The crucial ninth seat would then come from one of four states: California, Connecti
