Pundits on McLaughlin Group, Beltway Boys and Inside Washington Issue Predictions

November 5th, 2006 12:10 AM

On shows aired Friday and Saturday, the journalists and political pundits on the McLaughlin Group, FNC's Beltway Boys and Inside Washington, a local Washington, DC program, made predictions for what will occur in Tuesday's elections. All presumed that Democrats will win enough seats to takeover the House and most forecast that Democrats will win a majority of the most-contested Senate seats.

Below is a rundown of the specific predictions issued by columnist Pat Buchanan, Newsweek writer Eleanor Clift, Washington Times editorial page Editor Tony Blankley, Democratic political veteran and television producer Lawrence O'Donnell, John McLaughlin, Weekly Standard Executive Editor Fred Barnes, Roll Call Executive Editor Morton Kondracke, columnist Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post editorial writer Colby King, columnist and PBS analyst Mark Shields and NPR reporter Nina Totenberg.

Those who forecast that Democrats will take control of the Senate: Clift, O'Donnell, McLaughlin, Kondracke and Shields. Those who think Republicans will retain their Senate majority, if barely: Buchanan, Barnes, Blankley, Krauthammer, King and Totenberg.

Now, the rundown:

McLaughlin Group:

Maryland Senate:
Pat Buchanan: Cardin
Eleanor Clift: Cardin
Tony Blankley: abstained
Lawrence O'Donnell: Cardin
John McLaughlin: Cardin
New Jersey Senate:
Buchanan: Menendez
Clift: Menendez
Blankley: Menendez
O'Donnell: Menendez
McLaughlin: Menendez
Ohio Senate:
Buchanan: Brown
Clift: Brown
Blankley: Brown
O'Donnell: Brown
McLaughlin: Brown
Pennsylvania Senate:
Buchanan: Casey
Clift: Casey
Blankley: abstained
O'Donnell: Casey
McLaughlin: Casey
Rhode Island Senate:
Buchanan: Whitehouse
Clift: Whitehouse
Blankley: Whitehouse
O'Donnell: Whitehouse
McLaughlin: Whitehouse
Missouri Senate:
Buchanan: Talent
Clift: McCaskill
Blankley: abstained
O'Donnell: McCaskill
McLaughlin: McCaskill
Montana Senate:
Buchanan: Burns
Clift: Tester
Blankley: Burns
O'Donnell: Tester
McLaughlin: Tester
Tennessee Senate:
Buchanan: Corker
Clift: Corker
Blankley: Corker
O'Donnell: Corker
McLaughlin: Corker
Virginia Senate:
Buchanan: Allen
Clift: Webb
Blankley: Webb
O'Donnell: Webb
McLaughlin: Allen

FNC's Beltway Boys:

Virginia Senate:
Fred Barnes: Allen
Morton Kondracke: Webb
New Jersey Senate:
Barnes: Menendez
Kondracke: Menendez
Tennessee Senate:
Barnes: Corker
Kondracke: Corker
Missouri Senate:
Barnes: Talent
Kondracke: McCaskill
Montana Senate:
Barnes: Burns
Kondracke: Tester
Maryland Senate:
Barnes: Cardin
Kondracke: Cardin
Ohio Senate:
Barnes: Brown
Kondracke: Brown
Rhode Island Senate:
Barnes: Whitehouse
Kondracke: Whitehouse
Pennsylvania Senate:
Barnes: Casey
Kondracke: Casey
Connecticut Senate:
Barnes: Lieberman
Kondracke: Lieberman
Senate overall:
Barnes: Democrats pick up 4 seats, Republicans hold Senate by one
Kondracke: Democrats pick up 6 seats, Democrats takeover by one
House overall:
Barnes: Democrats pick up 22 seats
Kondracke: Democrats pick up 30 seats

Inside Washington

, a weekly half hour produced by ABC's Washington, DC affiliate, WJLA-TV channel 7 which airs it on Sunday morning after it has aired Saturday night on the affiliate's all-news cable channel, NewsChannel 8, and Friday night on DC's PBS station, WETA-TV channel 26:

Charles Krauthammer:
House: Democrats win 21 seats
Senate: Republicans hold by one
Colby King:
House: Democrats gain “at least” 20 seats
Senate: Republicans hold by one
Nina Totenberg:
House: Democrats pick up 20 to 25 seats
Senate: 50-50 or Republicans hold by one
Mark Shields:
House: Democrats will win more than 35 seats
Senate: Democrats will win control