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[[Image:Capital.jpg|thumb|right|400px|]] In the '''2010 Midterm Elections,''' the nation will elect the 112th Congress, including all members of the House and one third of the Senate, together with a majority of governorships and many state and local offices.

[[Image:Capital.jpg|thumb|right|400px|]] In the '''2010 Midterm Elections,''' the nation will elect the 112th Congress, including all members of the House and one third of the Senate, together with a majority of governorships and many state and local offices.

After the [[Democratic Party]] successes in the 2006 off-year election (when they recaptured Congress), augmented by more gains in the [[United States Presidential Election, 2008|Presidential Election of 2008]], the question is whether the Democrats will hold their gains or slip back.  Since the Democrats have an advantage of 257-178 in the House, the GOP must gain 40 seats to recapture control. Since the Democrats control the Senate 60-40 (counting two independents and the vacant Massachusetts seat), the GOP needs to gain 11 seats in the Senate to retake control<ref>A 50-50 tie would be broken by the vice president in favor of the Democrats.</ref>; but even a one-seat gain would allow the GOP to filibuster obnoxious bills, for 60 votes are needed to break a filibuster.

After the [[Democratic Party]] successes in the 2006 off-year election (when they recaptured Congress), augmented by more gains in the [[United States Presidential Election, 2008|Presidential Election of 2008]], the question is whether the Democrats will hold their gains or slip back.  Since the Democrats have an advantage of 257-178 in the House, the GOP must gain 40 seats to recapture control. Since the Democrats control the Senate 60-40 (counting the two independents), the GOP needs to gain 11 seats in the Senate to retake control<ref>A 50-50 tie would be broken by the vice president in favor of the Democrats.</ref>; but even a one-seat gain would allow the GOP to filibuster obnoxious bills, for 60 votes are needed to break a filibuster.

Although Democratic fundraising is significantly lower than the 2007-2008 election cycle <ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092404906.html?hpid=topnews</ref>, they have still gotten off to a faster start than Republicans in 2010. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had $10.2 million in the bank at the end of July, 2009, with debts of $5.3 million. The National Republican Congressional Committee had just $4 million in cash and owed $2.75 million.

Although Democratic fundraising is significantly lower than the 2007-2008 election cycle <ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092404906.html?hpid=topnews</ref>, they have still gotten off to a faster start than Republicans in 2010. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had $10.2 million in the bank at the end of July, 2009, with debts of $5.3 million. The National Republican Congressional Committee had just $4 million in cash and owed $2.75 million.