Let's take a minute away from the presidential race

to look at the House. While I'm fairly confident the GOP nominee, John McCain will take the White House in November, the House and Senate don't look so good. This article on the Politico confirms it, in the way of a series of special election losses. (By the way, I really like stroking my tensions.)

House Republicans who hoped to be on a slow climb back to the majority by now are reeling from Democratic victories in special elections in Illinois and Louisiana, and sources say another loss in Mississippi next week would roil an already poisoned relationship between House Minority Leader John A. Boehner and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole.

Although there’s no love lost — and plenty of blame to share — between the two leaders, a well-connected Republican operative said that Boehner probably lacks the “muscle” to push Cole out.

But Boehner and other Republicans have already expressed a lack of confidence in Cole by raising money for GOP candidates and incumbents outside the NRCC’s purview, and they could further marginalize the NRCC chairman if he can’t keep now-Sen. Roger Wicker’s seat in the Republican column next Tuesday.

This is a trend that doesn't bode well for Republicans in November. The problem arises in the fact that McCain tends to draw a lot of Dems and independents who aren't likely to vote straight-ticket, whereas whoever the Democratic nominee is, they are likely to draw plenty of support for their local counterparts. Of course, with a Republican in the White House to scapegoat, I would be very surprised if the Dems didn't do all they could to impede any sort of national progress.