While the Democrats seem virtually certain to make a net gain of seats in the Senate elections this November, their chances of regaining control are very uncertain. A survey of political analysts and political committee officials shows that if the 33 Senate elections were held today, the Democrats would probably gain 2 to 4 seats with the six seats necessary to regain control of the Senate certainly possible but not likely. The eight experts surveyed represented committees from both the Democratic and Republican parties as well as liberal and conservative, business and labor and two unaffiliated, independent PAC's. Each expert was asked to rate each of the races on a seven-point scale: solid Democratic, likely Democratic, lean Democratic, toss-up, lean Republican, likely Republican, and solid Republican. Two of the eight experts declined to place seats on the scale but discussed each race to the point that the National Political Review was able to place the race into one of the seven categories based on that analysis.
Mentioned in this issue: Howell Heflin, Albert Lee Smith, Ted Stevens, John Havelock, David
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