2006 brings key races in the House, Senate, and Governorships. The Republicans will likely lose both the House Majority Leader and Senate Majority Leader. 14 seats currently held by Republicans are available in the Senate, with at least 3 in serious jeopardy and several definitely up for grabs. As for the Governors - Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and Ohio are all shedding their Republican leaders due to term limits. We may see Romney exit in Massachusetts and we shall see Pataki exit in New York. Strong contests can be put up in California, Maryland, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
It will be interesting to see how the December 6th, 2005 special election in California turns out, as Democrat Steve Young tries to fill the now-vacant House seat left by former California Rep. Christopher Cox (48th District). But looking ahead to 2006, here are some of the key races: