The Democratic Caucus has moved one step closer to the 60 votes needed to pass a cloture motion, ending GOP filibusters on proposed legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act.  Although improbably leading by a few thousand votes the day after the election, Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) yesterday conceded the race to challenger Mark Begich (D).  The former Mayor of Anchorage charged past Stevens as absentee and provisional ballots were tallied during the last two weeks.  Begich will be the 58th Senator expected to caucus with the Democrats in the 111th Congress.

Two seats remain contested:

Minnesota:  The recount is underway in the race between incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman (R) and challenger Al Franken (DFL).  The Star Tribune yesterday reported:

By day's end, with about 18 percent of the vote recounted, Coleman continued to lead Franken -- but by only 174 votes, notably narrower than the unofficial gap of 215 votes at which the recount had begun. Franken's gain owed much to a swing of 23 votes in the Democratic stronghold of St. Louis County -- the result of faintly marked ballots and older optical scanners that failed to read the marks.

And today, the two candidates traded modest gains from county to county.

Georgia:   With the Democrats within striking distance of their 59th and 60th votes, the hardcore campaigning is underway in the Georgia run-off between Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) and challenger Jim Martin.  Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton stumped with Martin, calling Chambliss a "firewall" to progress.