Georgia Senate Race: Saxby Chambiss Defeats Jim Martin - So What!

This just in: incumbent Georgia Senator Saxby Chambiss defeated Democratic Challenger Jim Martin in the runoff for the seat that, if Martin won, would have placed the Democrats just one-more seat win from a 60-seat fillibuster-proof majority.


So what.  


So much has been made of a race in a state that (was stupid enough) to vote for Senator John McCain over now-President Elect Barack Obama that what was forgotten is that technically, with Independent Senator Joe Liberman having made a deal with the Democrats in the Senate and saved by Obama, the Dems are really just one seat from such power, not two.   If Norm Coleman loses to Al Franken in Minnesota, it's just one away from full power.  


But that written, Obama already has his Senate power in place. With Senators Clinton and Biden at Secretary of State and Vice President, Obama has smartly moved to set in place people who have had great relationships and cultivated power in the Senate to move legislation.   Moreover, Biden is a great friend to Senator John McCain, and Obama has planned to keep Republicans like Bob Gates in place as Defense Secretary.


So my question is, on what vote will such a Republican Democratic split come into play?  The Economy? Even the most conservative economists agree America needs a large stimulus package, so the normal liberal / conservative economic argument has been jettisoned by a plainly terrible American economy.   


What's the magic issue?  I can't see it.   It's not there.  


Obama was right not to make a trip to Georgia.  Let's face it, given that states seemingly intractable conservatism, it would have taken a "Barack Obama-esque" candidate to pull voters in the runoff election and Jim Martin was just not that compelling person.  That's not a knock against the man, but more of a blunt read on what kind of political formula was needed to win.  


Obama doesn't lose a thing and Chambiss may find this new Senate tougher sledding than the old one if he tries to pull a minority challenge to the Obama plan.    


Uh, did I write "may" -- change that to "will."  

Mayor Mark Begich Wins Alaska Senate Race, Beats Sen Ted Stevens

According to the blog "Clintonistas for Obama ", Anchorage, Alaska Democratic Mayor Mark Begich has beaten Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.  Begich is ahead by 3,724 votes, with fewer votes than that to be counted.  


This means that there are now 58 Democrats in the Senate.  President-Elect Barack Obama needs just two more wins to reach the "filibuster-proof" mark of 60 Dems.    Two races remain: Republican Georgia Senator Saxby Chambiss in a runoff against Democrat Jim Martin, and Republican Norm Coleman vs. Dem Al Frankin in Minnesota, in a vote recount too close to call.