2010 Election Prognostication Game

Malice

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In the spirit of the 2008 Presidential Prognostication Game
I am starting the 2010 Election Prognostication Game.

A good reference on this election is located here

GAME RULES:
You are to list in a post before February 1st, the winner of each SENATE seat (not picking the Representatives, since its just too many)

The goal is, who has the highest PERCENTAGE of CORRECTS.
There is obviously a chance of a tie, and that is ok.
36 elections in the senate are occurring.

2 Democrats are retiring
Retiring - Roland Burris of Illinois (D)
Retiring Ted Kaufman of Delaware (D)

6 Republicans are retiring
Retiring - Kit Bond of Missouri (R)
Retiring - Sam Brownback of Kansas (R)
Retiring - Jim Bunning of Kentucky (R)
Retiring - Judd Gregg of New Hampshire (R)
Retiring - George LeMieux of Florida (R)
Retiring - George Voinovich of Ohio (R)

Democrat Incumbants
Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas (D)
Barbara Boxer of California (D)
Michael Bennet of Colorado (D)
Christopher Dodd of Connecticut (D)
Daniel Inouye of Hawaii (D)
Evan Bayh of Indiana (D)
Barbara Mikulski of Maryland (D)
Harry Reid of Nevada (D)
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York (D)
Chuck Schumer of New York (D)
Byron Dorgan of North Dakota (D)
Ron Wyden of Oregon (D)
Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania (D)
Patrick Leahy of Vermont (D)
Patty Murray of Washington (D)
Russ Feingold of Wisconsin (D)

Republican Incumbants
Richard Shelby of Alabama (R)
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska (R)
John McCain of Arizona (R)
Johnny Isakson of Georgia (R)
Mike Crapo of Idaho (R)
Chuck Grassley of Iowa (R)
David Vitter of Louisiana (R)
Richard Burr of North Carolina (R)
Tom Coburn of Oklahoma (R)
Jim DeMint of South Carolina (R)
John Thune of South Dakota (R)
Bob Bennett of Utah (R)

Good luck!
 
NOTE...your FINAL pick...cannot have been Edited as well...or you forfeit that set of picks.
Your FINAL set of picks, MUST be done before February 1st, and never edited after that date.
 
Alabama
Richard Shelby (R) - Won almost 70% of the vote in 2004 and frankly asides from two, the Republican incumbents are guaranteed safe.

Alaska
Lisa Murkowski (R) - A safe Republican seat. The only reason why Mark Beigich won in 2008 was simply because his opponent was found guilty in a court of law of being corrupt.

Arizona
John McCain (R) - McCain has done a good job establishing himself as the unofficial leader of the Republican Party after his defeat in 2008. Which makes me wonder why he was so inept in 2008 :huh:

Arkansas
??? (R) - I don't see Blanche Lincoln winning this race anymore. She's done.

California
Barbara Boxer (D) - Carly Fiornia doesn't stand a chance. Like Illinois and New York, this state is solidly Democratic. But unlike New York and Illinios, California's Democrats aren't plagued by corruption, there really is no reason for Democrats to be downtrodden by Boxer.

Colorado
Jane Norton (R) - It looks like Colorado voters don't like who Governor Bill Ritter has chosen to replace Ken Salazar. Out of the areas that Democrats gained ground in 2006 and 2008, it looks like the West is going to be hit the hardest for them.

Connecticut
Richard Blumenthal (D) - Originally a guaranteed Republican pick up, but Chris Dodd's smart decision to drop out has changed things, especially since Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is incredibly popular.

Delaware
Mike Castle (R) - The guy has been leading in most polls by a healthy margin. I think voters aren't looking at the (D) or (R) labels with him, I think they genuinely like him.

Florida
Marco Rubio (R) - Crist has had some bad polling numbers lately to where I think Rubio will win the primary now and will beat Meek with ease, just like Crist would have.

Georgia
Johnny Isakson (R) - I really wish that John Oxendine was running for Senate instead of Governor. That way I could say that we have Norman Osborn in Congress :awesome:

Hawaii
Daniel Inouye (D) - This is one of the safest seats in the Senate. The only way it will be challenged is if Linda Lingle decides to run. But even then I don't see her winning.

Idaho
Mike Crapo (R) - Even with a "crappy" sounding last name, Idaho is one of the most Republican states in the country. Next.

Illinois
Mark Kirk (R) - I just can't see Alexi Giannoulias winning this race due to recent Democratic ethical lapses (along with the trial of Rod Blagojevich), ties to Tony Rezko, and problems facing his family's Broadway Bank. I think that just like in Massachusetts, independents and Republicans will flock to Kirk in large numbers.

Indiana
Evan Bayh (D) - I really just can't see Bayh losing this. He's a person that appears to be in touch with his constituents and they like him for it.

Iowa
Chuck Grassley (R) - I think Grassley is going to win this by a safe margin.

Kansas
Jerry Moran (R) - No Democrat has been elected to the Senate from Kansas since 1932. It could have gone Democratic since Kathleen Sebelius seemed like the Kansas version of Mark Warner, but Obama chose her to be his Secretary of Health and Human Services

Kentucky
??? (R) - I think that this seat will stay in Republican hands but will it be either Grayson or Rand Paul, son of Ron Paul who's been showing some strong polling numbers in the primary.

Louisiana
David Vitter (R) - It looks like that unlike Eliot Spitzer, Vitter has been able to overcome his moral failings by sleeping with prostitutes thanks to Louisiana becoming more Republican due to the destruction of Democratic stronghold New Orleans. But unlike the the vast majority of Republican incumbents, Vitter isn't guaranteed a win due to his scandal.

Maryland
Barbara Mikulski (D) - A popular incumbent Democrat running in a Democratic state with no serious challenger. She's safe.

Massachusetts
Martha Coakley (D) - A Republican Victory? Not. Gonna. Happen.

Missouri
Roy Blunt (R) - I think Blunt has a few factors going for him: 1) Missouri is a Republican state. 2) 2010 is going to see more Republican enthusiasm than Democratic enthusiasm. And 3) Robin Carnahan's mother, Jean, the chick who filled in for the dead guy, lost her re-election bid in the Senate which shows that the Carnahan dynasty isn't as invincible as some make it out to be. Also she's neck and neck with Blunt with Blunt catching up.

Nevada
??? (R) - I just don't see Harry Reid winning this to tell you the truth. He's become highly unpopular in his conservative leaning state. He's trailing both major Republican opponents that most people don't even know by a large margin. And like New Jersey has taught us, money don't mean squat anymore and Obama can only do so much, especially in a Republican leaning purple state. I think he could have won but this health care debate has made him look like an ineffectual ass.

New Hampshire
Kelly Ayotte (R) - This looked like it would have gone into Democratic hands, but it looks like Ayotte is the saving grace for the GOP in this race.

New York
Chuck Schumer (D) - This guy is invincible. He will not be beaten. Period.

New York - Special
Kirsten Gillibrand (D) - Giuliani isn't going to run for Senate and it looks like neither will Pataki. She's safe since the New York Republican Party is such a mess.

North Carolina
Richard Burr (R) - This state has a tendency to throw away its incumbents. Burr is the other Republican that isn't guaranteed victory like David Vitter, but so far he seems like he can get a second term. Which is rare for a North Carolina Senator.

North Dakota
John Hoeven (R) - Dorgan has surprisingly announced that he will retire. John Hoeven is an incredibly popular governor with no credible opponent. This seat will be a Republican pick up making up for the loss of a guaranteed Republican pick-up in Connecticut.

Ohio
Rob Portman (R) - I think that GOP enthusiasm and the Democratic primary taking away precious resources has hurt the Democrats chances of taking this seat from Republican hands.

Oklahoma
Tom Coburn (R) - He's safe to keep his seat in a Republican state.

Oregon
Ron Wyden (D) - No serious Republican challenger has risen and I can't see why Wyden would lose anyways.

Pennsylvania
Pat Toomey (R) - Looks like Arlen Specter's switch from Republican to Democrat has hurt him more than helped him in terms of the general voting populace. Republicans see him as a traitor. Independents see him as a political opportunist. And Democrats are wary of him.

South Carolina
Jim DeMint (R) - Looks like DeMint isn't even going to get a serious challenger for this race.

South Dakota
John Thune (R) - The guy who beat Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. He's safe and it looks like the Democrats are failing to recruit a credible opponent for him.

Utah
Bob Bennett (R) - Utah is one of the most Republican states in the country. This is an obvious Republican hold.

Vermont
Patrick Leahy (D) - No reason to see why Leahy should even sweat. No serious Republican challenger and an incredibly liberal state that has elected a socialist to the Senate. Also I think it's awesome that he's a huge Batman fan like myself. :awesome:

Washington
Patty Murray (D) - Murray is like Leahy, no need for her to sweat with no serious Republican challenger in a Democratic state.

Wisconsin
Russ Feingold (D) - I think that this guy is a major personality in the Senate that will never really die out. And I don't mean this as a bad thing. Also, no serious Republican challenger since Tommy Thompson looks unlikely to run.
 
Last edited:
Isn't it kind of early? Why don't wait until late spring/early summer?
 
No since she went up for re-election in 2006, winning almost 75% of the vote and every county. She won by a higher margin than any other US Senator who faced an opponent from a major party (Richard Luger won almost 90% of the vote, but he didn't face a Democrat and only a third party Libertarian challenger).
 
Has Rudy Giuliani decided to run for Governor or Senator in NY? I think the calculations might change a bit.
 
He isn't going to run for governor because it's becoming increasingly likely that Andrew Cuomo is going to run in which he will lose. He's more likely to run for Senate because polls are showing that he will beat Gillibrand.
 
And it looks like that I was wrong in my Massachusetts prediction :p
 
Well, I know this said February 1st, as the sign date for the game. But, as of the last couple of days, I would say ANY Incumbant is scared witless today.
 

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