Despite his best efforts at winning re-election, which included lying about running negative campaign ads, Alaska Senate incumbent Mark Begich lost his seat to GOP challenger Dan Sullivan on Tuesday, Fox News reports. With that victory, the number of pickups for Republicans in the Upper Chamber rises to eight and increases the party majority to 53. If Louisiana physician Bill Cassidy is able to hang onto his lead in the state runoff against veteran Sen. Mary Landrieu, those numbers will rise to nine and 54 respectively. The likelihood of Cassidy’s unseating Landrieu became increasingly likely after the incumbent’s attack on Cassidy’s response to Hurricane Katrina backfired. Whether or not the majority picks up another seat, the new leadership in the Senate will break the logjam created by outgoing Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has refused to bring 352 bills passed by the House to the Senate floor for a vote. Among the pieces of legislation gathering dust on Reid’s soon-to-be-former desk are some 40 jobs bills.
