And Then There Were Two: 2010 Midterms Almost Over

As Democratic Rep. Jim Costa holds on, only two House races have yet to be decided

The 2010 midterms are almost, almost over.

With five House races and one Senate race yet to be decided this morning, two concessions and an executive decision by the Associated Press have narrowed things down.

Democratic Rep. Jim Costa has held onto his seat in Fresno, California, the Associated Press declared Tuesday evening, fending off a challenge from Republican Andy Vidak. Costa led by over 3,000 votes after Election Day.

That leaves Republicans' total 2010 House gains at 63, with only two House races still undecided.

Democrats are poised to hold onto their seats in those races.

After trailing by 383 votes, Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop now leads Republican Randy Altschuler by 255 as election officials in New York's 1st District (covering the Eastern half of Long Island) have finished counting absentee ballots. Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney, meanwhile, has widened his lead over Republican David Harmer in California's 11th District between Sacramento and Modesto. McNerney now leads by 2,475.

The only Senate race yet to be decided is Alaska's, where Sen. Lisa Murkowski leads Joe Miller by over 10,000 votes. Miller is seeking to invalidate over 8,000 ballots through a court case, and he plans to ask for a recount trailing by over 2,000. He is not expected to win.

Earlier today, to Democratic incumbents conceded, handing the GOP two more House takeovers in 2010. Rep. Solomon Ortiz conceded in Corpus Christi, Texas, as did Rep. Dan Maffei in the upstate New York 25th District, which covers Syracuse.

When it's all over, Republicans will almost certainly have picked up 63 House seats and six Senate seats in total.