Merkley pulls ahead

That would made 57. Minnesota is going to a recount, Georgia to a runoff. Assuming Stevens wins but isn’t seated, there would be a fresh election there; I have no reason to think a Democrat could win it.

Update Merkley wins. Franken going to a recount; if the provisionals haven’t been counted, that’s probably good news. Chambliss/Martin goes to a runoff, which will be the first test of whether the Obama machine can elect anyone not named “Obama.” Fishy odor emerging from Alaska’s vote count. Not likely, but we could get to 60 yet.

Author: Mark Kleiman

Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Marron Institute for Urban Management and editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. Teaches about the methods of policy analysis about drug abuse control and crime control policy, working out the implications of two principles: that swift and certain sanctions don't have to be severe to be effective, and that well-designed threats usually don't have to be carried out. Books: Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken) When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, 2009; named one of the "books of the year" by The Economist Against Excess: Drug Policy for Results (Basic, 1993) Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control (Greenwood, 1989) UCLA Homepage Curriculum Vitae Contact: Markarkleiman-at-gmail.com