Republicans strike hard in the mid-South

In Arkansas and Tennessee four Blue Dogs are retiring: Bart Gordon and Jim Tanner in the Volunteer State and in the Natural State Marion Berry and Vic Snyder. The GOP is working hard to pick up all four seats and, if the election were held today, probably would sweep them all. If the Republicans take both Arkansas' seats they will end up controlling three out of four in the state. Along with John Boozman unseating Blanche Lincoln in the Senate (I think he'll win by 15 points) it will be a good year for Republicans in a state where Democrats have been very successful electing members of their congressional delegation since Reconstruction. In Tennessee the GOP has had much more success in the last 25 years (they voted for Bush in 2000 instead of home state son Al Gore) and should be able to make substantial gains not only in the House elections but will probably pick up the governor's chair as well.