Thursday, October 7th, 2010 10:50:15

The Midterm Sprint — Every Minute Volunteered, Every Dollar Donated Matters

We have less than four weeks to midterm elections, and the sprint to the end is on. For those who follow politics, they’re like the lead up to the Super Bowl or the World Series. While not quite as exciting as a presidential election, this year’s midterm elections will determine which party controls the House of Representatives and the Senate for the next two years.

Why is this an exciting year? Look at the numbers. Currently, the House is split between 255 Democratic and 178 Republican representatives. The Senate is split with 57 Democratic, two independents who caucus with the Democratic Party, and 41 Republicans.

Pollster and political prognosticator Charlie Cook is projecting that 204 House seats will remain Democratic, 185 will remain Republican, and 46 are up for grabs. He is forecasting a 40-seat GOP pickup in the House, which would result in Republican control of 225 seats (218 are required for the majority).

Cook’s forecast for the Senate is for a Republican gain of seven to nine seats, which would result in a virtual stalemate between the parties.