The Fix - Chris Cillizza's politics blog on washingtonpost.com - May 17, 2009

Rank	Race	Current Party	Change
1	Connecticut	Democrat	Up
2	New Hampshire	Republican	Up
3	Missouri	Republican	Up
4	Kentucky	Republican	Down
5	Pennsylvania	Democrat	Up
6	Ohio	Republican	Down
7	Colorado	Democrat	Down
8	Illinois	Democrat	Up
9	Louisiana	Republican	Up
10	Delaware	Democrat	None

Rank	Race	Current Party	Change
1	LA-02	Republican	None
2	ID-01	Democratic	None
3	DE-AL	Republican	Up
4	NH-01	Democrat	None
5	MD-01	Democrat	Down
6	NY-23	Republican	Up
7	PA-06	Republican	Up
8	AL-02	Democrat	Down
9	MS-01	Democrat	Down
10	CA-44	Republican	None

Rank	Race	Current Party	Change
1	Kansas	Democrat	None
2	R.I.	Republican	None
3	Hawaii	Republican	Up
4	Nevada	Republican	Down
5	Tennessee	Democrat	Up
6	Michigan	Democrat	Up
7	Oklahoma	Democrat	Down
8	Virginia	Democrat	Up
9	Florida	Republican	Down
10	N.J.	Democrat	Up

Rank	Race	Primary	Change
1	Texas Gov.	Republican	Up
2	Pa. Senate	Democrat	Up
3	Calif. Gov.	Republican	None
4	N.Y. Senate	Democrat	Down
5	Fla. Senate	Republican	Up
6	Michigan Gov.	Republican	Up
7	Ky. Senate	Democrat	Up
8	Utah Senate	Republican	Up
9	S.C. Gov.	Republican	Down
10	Kan. Senate	Republican	Down

Wag the Blog Redux: Understanding Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former North Carolina senator and two-time Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, recently launched a media tour to promote her new book, "Resilience," and talk publicly about her husband's infidelity -- a move that sparked a whirlwind of controversy.

Friday Senate Line: Two Classes of Races

A look at the potentially competitive Senate seats in 2010 makes clear one thing: there is a split between the "for sure" contests and the "yes, but" races. The first class includes five races -- all of which are certain to be closely fought and narrowly decided in 2010. Three are open seats (Ohio, Missouri and New Hampshire) and two feature damaged incumbents (Kentucky and Connecticut) trying with varying levels of success to rehabilitate themselves.

Barbour to New Hampshire

One day before visiting Iowa to raise money for the state party, Gov. Haley Barbour will do the same in New Hampshire, a stop that should clear up any doubt as to whether the Mississippi Republican is weighing the possibility of a run for president in 2012.

White House Cheat Sheet: Republicans Try to Tar Pelosi

When Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House in early 2007, Republican strategists could barely contain their glee -- believing that the liberal, San Francisco Congresswoman would make a perfect foil for them in future elections in the same way that Democrats had used Newt Gingrich to hang around the necks of his Republican colleagues a decade ago.

Barbour To Iowa

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will make a trip to Iowa in late June, a visit sure to stoke talk of a potential 2012 by by the Magnolia State Republican.

Wag the Blog: Who Won on Substance?

The call and response speeches by President Barack Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney are over.

Obama vs Cheney: A (Polling) Mismatch from the Start

The dueling speeches by President Barack Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney are being cast as a showdown over national security but the tit for tat is a mismatch from the start.

White House Cheat Sheet: It's Still the Economy, Stupid

The twin speeches on national security today by President Barack Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney may capture the headlines but there is little evidence that the issue is strongly resonating with voters still heavily focused on their economic well being.

RNC's Passes "Socialist" Resolution

Twenty-four hours after Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele sought to turn the page on five months of infighting and bad press for the GOP, the organization passed a resolution condemning the Democratic party's "march to socialism".

Can Artur Davis Make History?

New polling from the gubernatorial campaign of Alabama Rep. Artur Davis suggests he starts in strong position to be elected as the state's first African American governor.

Mitch Daniels: Republican Revolutionary

Mitch Daniels doesn't look like a revolutionary. Short and balding, he looks exactly like what he was earlier this decade: the head of the Office of Management and Budget in the Bush Administration.

White House Cheat Sheet: Obama's Gitmo Gambit

When President Barack Obama announced just days into his presidency that the prison at Guantanamo Bay would be closed within one year, it was touted as symbolic of the broader clean break that the new Administration was bringing to Washington after eight years of Republican rule.

Moderating the VA-Gov Debate

The Fix will step out of his secret undisclosed blogging location this afternoon to co-moderate a debate between the three Democrats running for governor in Virginia this fall.

New Poll Reveals Reid's Vulnerability

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is in a precarious position as he seeks a fifth term in 2010 -- viewed unfavorably by half of the Nevada electorate with a similar number saying they will vote to replace him next fall, according to a new independent poll released today.

White House Cheat Sheet: Steele Tries To Turn the Page

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele will call for an end to the "era of apologizing" in the GOP and urge his fellow party members to "focus all of our energies on winning the future" in a speech today to a gathering of RNC officials in Maryland.

Gallup Poll: Republican Shrinkage Widespread

A new Gallup analysis shows that the precipitous decline in the number of people who identify themselves as Republican is widespread across nearly every demographic group -- a development that suggests that there is no simple solution to solving the party's current problems.

Gibbs A-Twitter!

The Fix has a case of the Monday today so we are turning -- yet again -- to Whitge House press secretary Robert Gibbs to brighten our day with his daily press briefing.

Huntsman to China: Winners and Losers

The news that Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman will be the Obama Administration's envoy to China has myriad implications in terms of the re-building of the Republican party and positioning for 2012.

White House Cheat Sheet: Obama, Notre Dame and Common Ground Politics

President Barack Obama's commencement speech at Notre Dame University on Sunday served as a microcosm of his entire approach to governance: engage your enemies on difficult issues, find an area(s) of common agreement and urge compromise.

Cutter to White House for Court Fight

Stephanie Cutter, spokeswoman for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, is leaving that post to join the White House as it prepares to shepherd President Barack Obama's eventual pick for the Supreme Court to confirmation, according to sources familiar with the move.

The Fix: May 17, 2009 - May 23, 2009