In an interview with The Hill newspaper today, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is the Senate Democrats' chief election strategist, fundraiser and recruiter (he is head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee), had this to say about the race between Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine:

Q: What about Maine, where Rep. Tom Allen (D) is challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R)? Can you beat a popular incumbent Republican in a blue state as you did in 2006 against Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.)?

A: Of all the Republican incumbents we’re going after, every single one— even those in the redder states— she is the most popular. But it is a bluer state. Allen is one of the best candidates we have, and we are very hopeful that we’ll have a repeat of the Rhode Island race, because Susan Collins has voted with Bush an overwhelming proportion of the time.

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Congressional Quarterly (subscription only) projects that the Democrats will pick up four Senate seats on Election Day, giving Democrats a 53-44 majority. Three seats are considered "toss ups," but Maine is not one of them.

Like Stuart Rothenberg, the well-respected and independent author of the Rothenberg Political Report, CQ gives an edge to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. The state "leans Republican."

Liberal advocacy groups and Senate Democratic leaders are hankering to win a filibuster-proof majority of 60 seats. Whether that is a "pipe dream," as some have said, or "doable," as others argue, remains to be seen.

Senate Democrats have a slim majority, 49-49-2. The two independents, Sens. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, caucus with the Democrats.

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