Let me first start out by describing the criteria I used to define a "targeted" race. As we get deeper into the campaign cycle, a majority of these initial seats will be taken off this list because of new developments. For now, I have been very inclusive in the "targeted" category.
First and foremost, I looked at the last three election cycles for the House races (2004, 2006 & 2008) and the 2006 cycle for the Senate races. If they were competitive then, I suspect they could be competitive in 2010. Second, I looked at the P-base poll we did in 2008 for the legislative districts to see if the district had partisan leanings. I have included most districts that were identified as "swing" and any area where a Republican holds office in a Democrat-leaning district or a Democrat holds office in a Republican-leaning district.
Much later on, I will be able to look at fundraising numbers, candidate work ethic, issue development, and much more. That information will allow me to narrow the list as we approach November 2010.
