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Washington Overall, Senate races in the 2014 midterms arent looking good for Democrats. States the Democratic Party once targeted as winnable, such as Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, and Alaska, are tilting toward Republican candidates. Control of the Senate itself hangs in the balance, and most major forecast models now predict the GOP has a greater than 60 percent chance of winning the chamber.

But something different is happening in Georgia.

Georgias a red state that President Obama lost twice. Replacing retiring incumbent Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) with another Republican should be an easy task. But right now, polls say it isnt. This fall, Democratic candidate Michelle Nunn has closed the gap with the GOPs David Perdue.

A CNN/ORC survey released Friday put Ms. Nunn ahead of Mr. Purdue by three percentage points, 47 to 44. An Atlanta Journal Constitution poll made public the same day had Purdue up by two points. Given margins of error, these polls are roughly compatible. The race is effectively a dead heat, with Nunn holding a one percentage point lead in RealClearPolitics rolling average of major polls.

Georgia is perhaps the closest Senate race in the country. Its the only one the New York Times Upshot Senate forecast model rates as a pure 50-50 tossup.

Whats going on? For one thing, Nunns name seems to be weighing in her favor. Shes the daughter of former Sen. Sam Nunn, a Democrat who represented Georgia from 1972 to 1997 and served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Meanwhile Perdue, a wealthy businessman, has struggled to overcome some aspects of his past work. Hes said on camera that he was proud of outsourcing he carried out as CEO of a North Carolina-based textile firm that eventually went into bankruptcy.

The clip has featured in Nunn ads flooding the Atlanta media market. Suddenly, Perdues biggest asset his business career has become a liability, writes Michael Warren Friday in the right-leaning Weekly Standard.

But theres a complicating factor here Georgia law calls for a two-candidate runoff to decide the Senate race if no one candidate receives more than 50 percent. There is a third party candidate running, Libertarian Amanda Swafford, and shes attracting about 4 to 5 percent of the vote in polls. That could be enough to keep the first-place finisher under the 50 percent threshold and trigger the runoff provision.

Some analysts think its possible that Nunn, with her tiny lead in the polling average, could just manage 50 percent on Nov. 4.Nate Cohn at The Upshot says that minor party candidates in Georgia typically draw only around 2 percent of the vote, so that Ms. Swaffords support may shrink when people actually go to the polls.

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Could Democrat Michelle Nunn actually win Georgia Senate race?

Rep. John Barrow speaks at First African Baptist Church in Dublin, Ga. Barrow needs African-Americans to turn out on Election Day, but they're not enough to put him over the top. Sarah McCammon/NPR hide caption

Rep. John Barrow speaks at First African Baptist Church in Dublin, Ga. Barrow needs African-Americans to turn out on Election Day, but they're not enough to put him over the top.

For Republicans, Democrats in red states seem ripe for the picking in midterm election years, when the GOP usually has an advantage in voter turnout. One of their targets this year is Rep. John Barrow of Georgia, who faces one of the tightest races in the nation.

Barrow, often described as the "last white Democrat in Congress from the Deep South," is trying to hold onto his seat.

At First African Baptist Church in Dublin, Ga., a bronze plaque beside the front door reminds visitors that this is where a 14-year-old Martin Luther King Jr. gave his first public speech.

Pastor Keith Anderson stands behind the pulpit and welcomes Barrow to the service, while making a dig at Washington gridlock.

"I'm glad, Congressman Barrow, that I don't have to sit in the Senate or in the Congress and the only way my business gets done is if I get the majority to support [it]," Anderson says.

Even if Congress seems ineffective, Anderson assures his congregation, there is power in prayer to get things done.

Barrow tells the audience of about 60 people that even in Washington, he gets things done; he ticks off efforts to bring jobs to Georgia by promoting nuclear energy and expanding the Port of Savannah.

Barrow is comfortable here, among traditionally Democratic African-American voters. He describes himself as a Democrat in the tradition of his father, a judge known for helping to keep public schools open after desegregation. Barrow needs African-Americans to turn out on Election Day they make up more than a third of his district. But they're not enough to put him over the top.

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Courting Republicans, Georgia Democrat Tries To Keep His Seat

Louie Gohmert Has Teabola: Infected Nurses Part of Democrat Plan
Louie Gohmert claims that nurses infected with Ebola are part of a Democratic plan http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/10/louie-gohmert-nurses-infected-with-ebo...

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Louie Gohmert Has Teabola: Infected Nurses Part of Democrat Plan - Video

Meet The One Democrat That Sees Progress In The Middle East
During The WTTW Chicago Tonight Forum, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) Said There Has Been Progress In The Fight Against ISIS.

By: Rising ICYMI

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Meet The One Democrat That Sees Progress In The Middle East - Video

TIME Politics 2014 Election Democrat vs. Democrat Down To Wire in Silicon Valley House Race President Barack Obama is greeted by Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., as the president arrives in Los Altos Hills, Calif., where he will attend a fundraising event Wednesday, July 23, 2014, during his three-day West Coast trip to Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. AP California hopes the non-partisan, open system will lead to a more functional Congress

Dont look now, but a moderate might get elected to Congress next month from California.

In Californias 17th congressional district, which encompasses much of Silicon Valley, two Democrats are on the ballot on Nov. 4. One is seven-term incumbent Rep. Mike Honda, 73, and the other 38-year-old former Obama Administration official Ro Khanna, who is trying to unseat his fellow Democrat.

Why wasnt this battle decided in Californias June 3 primary? Honda and Khanna both won that primary: they both gained enough votes to advance to the general election and under Californias new rulesthis is the second cycle the system has been in placeit doesnt matter that they are both Democrats. In fact, seven out of Californias 53 congressional districts have two candidates from the same party competing in the General Election.

More than 30 years ago, California led the country in closing its primaries. But that, coupled with redistricting that gerrymandered safe seats, led to increasingly partisan politicians more afraid of a primary challenge than of losing to the other party. In other words: politicians more likely to blow up the government than make deals across the aisle.

So in 2010, Californians voted to take the parties out of redistricting and opened up its primary process in the hopes of electing people who didnt think compromise is a dirty word, or at least seek to work with their opponents instead of vanquishing them.

Whether this political experiment has worked remains to be seen. But if any place in the country understands disruption and reinvention, its Silicon Valley. And the Honda/Khanna race, while troubling fratricide to most of the party, carries undertones of Californias intent: moderation.

Khanna spent a whopping $3 million to come in a distant second in the primary, which Honda won by 20 points. Honda has the endorsement of much of the establishment, including President Obama, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi and the California Democratic Party. Khanna enjoys the backing of some deep-pocketed Silicon Valley tycoons, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and a campaign team drawn from Obamas presidential bids.

Khanna burned through another $1 million post primary and by the end of September had just $218,000 cash on hand compared to Hondas $965,000. We were always the underdog going into this thing, Khanna tells TIME. But we will have enough money to compete on Election Day. Weve built a strong campaign on a lot of retail politics.

Khanna has been attacking Honda as ineffectual and unwilling the reach across the aisle to get things done. During the debate Khanna mocked Hondas bipartisanship. Honda has been attacking Khanna as a Republican in Democratic clothing. He sent out a mailer labeling me a liberal, Honda tells TIME. I am a Democrat. He is? Honda has also been promoting his seniority and his ability to deliver for the district, including helping to secure a BART train extension to the area. And, yes, he has touted his bipartisan credentials working with Republicans on legislation and initiatives.

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Democrat vs. Democrat Down To Wire in Silicon Valley House Race