The three Senate races that will determine whether the Democrats gain that coveted 60-seat majority are still deadlocked - by the slimmest of margins from 3 votes in Alaska to 200 votes in Minnesota and a tense runoff in Georgia.

Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, the titan of Alaska politics convicted of felony charges last month, fell behind by more than 800 votes Wednesday as the count resumed in his re-election bid.


Democrat Mark Begich, the two-term mayor of Anchorage, began the day down more than 3,200 votes but went up by 814 as officials resumed their counting of early and absentee ballots. The tally was 132,196 to 131,382.

Neither side was claiming victory or conceding defeat, with tens of thousands of outstanding ballots.
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In Minnesota, where the recount will stretch into mid-December, per the Associated Press:

After the two candidates spent nearly $40 million combined - most of it on ads tarring the other - Coleman leads by about 200 votes out of almost 3 million cast. An automatic recount is to start next week.
Good thing this wasn't a Presidential hinge like Fla. was. There would be no recount.

***
In Georgia, Mr. Martin, a former state legislator, stunned political observers by forcing the runoff with Sen. Chambliss, whose seat not long ago was considered safe.
Chambliss with 49.8% of the vote to Mr. Martin's 46.8%. Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley received 3.4% and won't be in the runoff, which is scheduled for Dec. 2. He hasn't endorsed either of the other candidates.

Sen. John McCain is scheduled to join Sen. Chambliss at a rally Thursday in Atlanta, and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is scheduled to campaign for Sen. Chambliss on Sunday. A Chambliss spokeswoman said the campaign hopes to get several other big-name Republicans to visit the state, such as Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Republicans are pretty desperate for Georgia and they have a right to be. A leading Democrat can turn the whole state back given the right set of circumstances and personality.

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