The Conversation: Politics by the Numbers
ABC's political director Amy Walter gives her take on the tightest races.
Oct. 28, 2010 — -- In less than five days, voters will head to the polls to decide one of the more contentious midterm elections in recent memory.
What's clear is that voters are frustrated by the status quo. In a new NYTimes/CBS News poll, 57 percent of registered voters say they're more willing to take a chance this year on a candidate with little previous political experience, and more than a quarter say they'll back a candidate with some views that "seem extreme."
Republicans hope that their conservative base, fueled by the Tea Party, will turn up in enough numbers to give them control of the House and possibly even the Senate.
But regardless of the mood, it all comes down to math. Republicans need to add 40 seats to their current 178 in the House in order to seize the majority, an outcome that most political analysts see as likely.
In the Senate, Republicans' task is far more difficult. To get the 51 seats needed for a majority, they need to win nearly all of the races that are currently considered a toss-up, including those in Washington state, California and Nevada.
Today on the Conversation, ABC News' David Muir spoke with political director Amy Walter for her take on the tightest races. We hope you'll watch.
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