The chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee predicts U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss will be part of the firewall the party wants to build against Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.
U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., set a minimum on the number of seats the party must control, 41.
"The number that we get to is really, really important in the U.S. Senate," he said. "That's one of the reasons Saxby absolutely must hold his seat."
Democrats now have 49 seats, with two independents who vote with them.
Republicans hold 49 seats now, with 23 up for re-election this year, and five GOP senators retiring, giving away the incumbent advantage.
Democrats only have to defend 12 seats this year.
An eight-seat loss would be a very bad year for any party, even the party holding the White House at the end of a second term, when voters typically hunger for change. So, it's surprising for a party leader to speak in such frank terms about major losses.
It's kind of interesting that Ensign says Saxby Chambliss "absolutely must hold his seat" for the Republicans to maintain a 41 seat minority, then turns around and says he expects Chambliss to raise his own funds so the RSCC can spend its paltry funds elsewhere. That's the new Republican support concept -- we like you but you're on your own. They've been pushing the same concept in health care, jobs and education for a while now and it's finally percolated up to their own campaigns. Sweet!
