The balance of power depends on the following Senate races:
Wayne Allard	Senator Wayne Allard (R - Colorado) is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Strategic Subcommittee; the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Housing and Transportation Subcommittee; the Senate Budget Committee; and the Senate Agriculture Committee. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
Tim Hutchinson	Senator Tim Hutchinson (R - Arkansas) is a member of the Senate Veterans Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee. Tim believes principles are worth fighting for, and are a source of strength during these challenging times. Arkansans and Americans must feel confident that the United States will remain strong, and may in fact grow stronger through this trial. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
John Sununu	Congressman John Sununu's (R - New Hamshire) legislative record as a fiscal conservative has earned him a distinguished 100% rating from the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste. He has also been recognized for his achievements as a champion of small business and taxpayers by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, and Americans for Tax Reform. [ campaign site | house site | discussion forum ]
Elizabeth Dole	Elizabeth Dole has emerged as a heavy favorite to hold Jese Helms' North Carolina seat for the Republicans. As former Transportation Secretary and former President of the Red Cross, Elizabeth Dole appeals to many voters with her experience and devotion to public service. A Voter/Consumer Research poll pitting Elizabeth Dole against Erskine Bowles, conducted from July 23-25, 2002, shows Elizabeth Dole comfortably ahead of Bowles, 61% to 29%. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Highly Contested Seats Open or Currently Held by Democrats:
Doug Forrester	As Torricelli�s integrity continues to be called into question and his campaign continues to struggle, the campaign of Republican nominee Doug Forrester is catching fire. A KYW News poll, conducted in August, shows self-made businessman Forrester leading career politician Torricelli 48% to 35%. As the race continues to develop and voters learn more about both candidates, Doug Forrester�s chances of defeating Sen. Torricelli will continue to improve. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Norm Coleman	Norm Coleman, Republican Mayor of Saint Paul and '98 Governor Nominee is challenging encumbent Democrat Paul Wellstone for his Minnesota Senate seat in a tight race. Wellstone is favored by 45 percent and Coleman, by 44 percent of the respondents in a Star Tribune Minnesota Poll. The survey of 1, 027 likely voters was conducted Feb. 2-6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Jim Talent	Jim Talent, former U.S. Representative and 2000 Missouri gubernatorial candidate announced at a news conference in St. Louis last October that he would be challenging Democrat, Jean Carnahan. Jim Talent is a strong candidate for Senate considering his many years of service for Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives and his near victory in the 2000 Governor�s race. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
John Thune	Congressman John Thune, (R - South Dakota) jumped in to challenge Tim Johnson in the 2002 Senate race. While noted political commentator Charlie Cook has handicapped this race as being "Likely Democrat," an NRSC poll of 400 registered SD voters showed challenger John Thune with a favorable rating of almost 80% and a 7% lead in a head to head match-up with Johnson. [ house site | campaign site | discussion forum ]
Lamar Alexander	Former Governor Lamar Alexander (R - Tennessee) will face Democrat Representative Bob Clement in November to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Fred Thompson. Following his two terms as Governor, he was president of the University of Tennessee and Secretary of Education under former President Bush. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Lindsey Graham	Congressman Lindsey Graham (R - South Carolina) is off to a fantastic start in capturing the Republican nomination with an aggressive fundraising strategy. Graham is a formidable candidate as he has served South Carolina for four terms in the House of Representatives, including his service as a House manager during the Clinton impeachment trial. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Saxby Chambliss	Sen. Max Cleland is facing a very difficult challenge in his bid for a second term. Cleland, who won election to the Senate in 1996 by a mere 1% and was unable to obtain 50% of the total vote, is one of the more vulnerable Democrat senators up for re-election. Congressman Saxby Chambliss is poised to make a serious run at recapturing this seat for the Republicans. Congressman Chambliss, Chairman of the new House Subcommittee on Terrorism & Homeland Security, is one of the most popular legislators in Georgia and a proven vote-getter among Republicans and Democrats alike. [ house site | campaign site | discussion forum ]
Mike Taylor	Montana is one of the hottest Senate races in 2002. Democratic incumbent Max Baucus is facing State Sen. Mike Taylor, who recently won the GOP primary with more than 60% of the vote. State Sen. Taylor, a rancher, stands as a stark contrast to Baucus, who has already been in Washington as a senator for four terms and is seeking a fifth. Because President Bush carried Montana by more than 20 percentage points, and Baucus won in 1996 with only 50% of the vote, Mike Taylor has an excellent chance to capture the Senate seat in a very close race. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
John Cornyn	Republican Attorney General John Cornyn faces former Democratic Mayor Ron Kirk in the race to fill the seat vacated by the retiring Phil Gramm. Attorney General Cornyn, the first Republican to win the position of Attorney General in Texas since Reconstruction, is defined by his dedication to the people of Texas. Cornyn has made history as the first Texas Attorney General in 20 years to personally appear before the Supreme Court on behalf of the people of Texas. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Jim Durkin	State Representative Jim Durkin (R - Illinois) is challenging Democrat Senator Dick Durbin. Durkin has served four terms in the Illinois State House and has worked in the offices of both the Illinois Attorney General and Cook County State Attorney. Rep. Durkin is relying on his strong belief in Republican values and his desire for bi-partisan accomplishments in challenging Sen. Durbin, who the Almanac of American Politics describes by saying, �Durbin has compiled a liberal voting record � and has been a dependable Democratic partisan on the floor and on cable news networks.� [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Jay Wolfe	Jay Rockefeller is facing Republican State Senator Jay Wolfe in this year�s Senatorial race. While Sen. Wolfe is grounded in more moderate Republican values, Rockefeller has become one of the most liberal members of the Senate. Seemingly losing touch with his constituents and duties, Rockefeller has been quoted as arrogantly saying, �We are going to push through this health care reform regardless of the views of the American people." Jay Wolfe is fighting an uphill battle against Rockefeller, considering the affluent Rockefeller has raised almost 40 times as much money, but State Sen. Wolfe is confident his conservative message will reach West Virginian voters. [ campaign site | discussion forum ]
Popular Republican Incumbents:
Thad Cochran	Senator Thad Cochran (R - Mississippi) has served as Secretary and Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, and he is the ranking Republican member on Appropriations and Governmental Affairs Subcommittees. He is also a member of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee and the Rules Committee. [ senate site | discussion forum ]
Larry Craig	Senator Larry Craig (R - Idaho) is serving his second term. Senator Craig quickly rose to the fourth highest Senate leadership position in his first term, when his colleagues elected him Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee. He was re-elected to that position in the 106th and 107th Congresses. The committee is responsible for developing policy positions for Senate Republicans. [ senate site | discussion forum ]
Gorden Smith	Senator Gordon Smith (R - Oregon) is a member of four major Senate committees: Energy and Natural Resources, Foreign Relations, Budget, and the powerful Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Smith is the ranking member on the Energy and Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee, the Foreign Relations European Affairs Subcommittee, and the Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marines. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
Pete Domenici	Senator Pete Domenici (R - New Mexico) is seeking reelection against his Democratic challenger, Gloria Tristani. Tristani, a former Clinton-appointed Federal Communications Commission Commissioner, is a credible opponent, but she will have to defeat a widely popular incumbent in Sen. Domenici. Sen. Pete Domenici, the longtime senior Republican on the Budget Committee, has dominated his past three re-election contests and should hold onto this seat for another term. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
Jim Inhofe	Senator Jim Inhofe (R - Oklahoma) has established himself as a valuable member of the Senate with his productive work on the Intelligence, Armed Services, and Environment and Public Works Committees. Up for reelection this year, Sen. Inhofe may face Democratic front-runner, David Walters. David Walters is best known for a scandal in which he was indicted on eight felonies, but plead guilty to a misdemeanor campaign finance violation as part of a plea bargain. Walters, mired by credibility issues, is facing a difficult race against the popular Sen. Inhofe. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
Mitch McConnell	Senator Mitch McConnell (R - Kentucky), seeking reelection against Lois Combs Weinberg, has a solid lead at this point in the campaigning. Weinberg, an education activist and daughter of former Gov. Bert Combs, narrowly defeated her primary opponent by 1,000 votes and will face an even more difficult challenge against Sen. McConnell in the general election. McConnell, a hard-working campaigner, will prove to be a tough incumbent for Weinberg to defeat. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
Jeff Sessions	Senator Jeff Sessions (R - Alabama) serves on three major committees: Armed Services, Judiciary and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Senator Sessions is the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts, and the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower. He also serves on the Joint Economic Committee, the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, and he is a member of the National Council on the Arts. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
Popular Republican Incumbents with no Challengers:
Mike Enzi	Senator Mike Enzi (R - Wyoming) has worked to balance the federal budget and see that it stays balanced. He has been a leader in the effort to create a tax system that is simple and fair to the American people. He is working to bring more of the powers of the federal government down to their rightful place, the local level, and to create an environment of reduced regulation to spur economic growth. [ senate site | discussion forum ]
Chuck Hagel	Senator Chuck Hagel (R - Nebraska) serves on five committees: Foreign Relations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; Budget and Aging. On the Foreign Relations Committee, he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs and on the Banking Committee he serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on International Trade and Finance. [ senate site | discussion forum ]
Pat Roberts	Senator Pat Roberts (R - Kansas) fights to allow Americans to keep more of the dollars they earn. He has received numerous tax-cutting awards. Roberts is a member of the following committees: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Armed Services; and Select Intelligence. He is Ranking Member of the Select Ethics Committee. [ senate site | discussion forum ]
Ted Stevens	Senator Ted Stevens (R - Alaska) a member of the Senate for 33 years, is Alaska's senior Senator. Stevens' tenure in the Senate makes him the 6th most senior member among his colleagues, and 2nd among Republicans. Stevens serves as ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In addition, he serves on the Commerce, Rules and Administration, and Governmental Affairs Committees. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]
John Warner	Senator John Warner (R - Virginia) was first elected to the United States Senate on November 7, 1978. On November 5, 1996, he was reelected to serve his fourth six-year term. No Democratic challengers to Sen. Warner have yet been announced for the 2002 race. Republicans look strong in Virginia as President Bush carried the state in 2000 and Sen. George Allen defeated incumbent Democrat Chuck Robb. [ campaign site | senate site | discussion forum ]