Given the state of polls right now, it seems, speaking modestly, reasonably likely that the Democrats will considerably narrow the Republican margin in the Senate (if they do not win it outright). 48-52, 49-51 - something like that could still help toward the next phase of the Democratic consolidation.
Given that most of the endangered Republicans come from moderate districts and states, I'd think that one major longterm project would be to complete the Democratic consolidation of New England.
I mean, it's just weird - given the presidential outcomes of the last couple of decades - to see 2 Republican senators in Maine and New Hampshire (given the blueing of the latter). Over the next few cycles, these folks need to go the way of Chafee (who I'm reasonably confident won't be coming back).
(I haven't heard much from the Snowe race of late, though I had heard she was running ahead in the summer.)
The strains of a tight Senate will hopefully highlight the ties between New England moderates and the Bush White House. In the best of cases, maybe someone could pull a Jeffords, but that seems a little optimistic.
The other anomaly that comes to mind is Gordon Smith of Oregon. The Dems did not get the candidate of their choice to run against him in 2002. He might be more vulnerable in 2008 - while Oregon is tightly divided, it does show a consistent pattern in presidential elections.
I'm not a New Englander - what do we think about our viability against these folks?
Comment fodder - up and coming New England/Oregonian Dems?