Aside from winning the White House, the best way for the GOP to weaken President Obama’s power is for Republicans to win control of the U.S. Senate. In 2012, 33 Senate seats will be up (23 Democratic-held seats will be up for grabs and 10 GOP-held seats). Of those 33 seats, approximately 11 races will be competitive at this juncture. For the GOP to take control of the U.S. Senate in 2012 they would need to net four seats. Two Republican-held seats are in danger of flipping (Dean Heller in Nevada and Scott Brown in Massachusetts).

The Political Quarterback's 2012 Electoral College scorecard remains relatively unchanged from July 2011. At the end of September, President Obama's approval rating continues to sag and polls show strong showings by candidates Romney, Perry and even Cain against the increasingly unpopular incumbent. 

Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia are electing governors in 2011, but the contests look to be competitive in only one state (West Virginia). In Louisiana and Mississippi, no strong Democratic candidate has emerged and there is no sign that the Democratic Governors Association has these two southern states on their radar for 2011. In Kentucky, the incumbent appears to be on track for an easy re-election. West Virginia's contest is still volatile, with the GOP candidate significantly closing the gap in recent polls.

Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia are electing governors in 2011, but the contests look to be competitive in only two states. In Louisiana and Mississippi, no strong Democratic candidate has emerged and there is no sign that the Democratic Governors Association has these two southern states on their radar for 2011. In Kentucky, the incumbent appears to be on track for an easy re-election. West Virginia's contest is still volatile, with the GOP candidate closing the gap in recent polls.

The Political Quarterback's 2012 Electoral College scorecard is showing a small shift away from President Barack Obama, with the addition of Pennsylvania to the "toss-up" column. The increasing uncertainty of the race is driven primarily by continuing consumer concern with jobs, the long-term economic outlook and rising gas prices. State by state breakdown below (see links to related articles below the chart):

CivicForumPAC's 2012 Electoral College scorecard is showing a small shift away from President Barack Obama, with the addition of Pennsylvania to the "toss-up" column. The increasing uncertainty of the race is driven primarily by continuing consumer concern with jobs, the long-term economic outlook and rising gas prices. State by state breakdown below (see links to related articles below the chart):

The Political Quarterback offers an early analysis of the Electoral College landscape for 2012. Breaking down the numbers state by state, the successes of newly inaugurated Republican governors in several states will be key to the fortunes of the eventual GOP presidential nominee.