After a slew of bad news the latest round of polls point to optimism for Democratic chances in the Senate. Charlie Cook's new report out this morning says that Erskine Bowles is advancing on Liddy Dole in North Carolina -- a race most folks had pretty much written off. Jeanne Shaheen has also pulled even or marginally ahead in New Hampshire -- a race which looked close but definitely leaning toward John Sununu.

The latest round of Zogby polls also look positive for Dems. Zogby's latest has Paul Wellstone up 46-37 over Norm Coleman. And Jeb Bush is now in a statistical dead-heat with Bill McBride -- a result that's in line with other campaign tracking polls. (I wonder if Jeb gets forced into a really tight contest down the stretch whether Florida papers may take a renewed interest in the guy's business past, which is ugly as sin. He makes his brother look like a character out of a Horatio Alger novel.)

Less positively for Democrats Zogby now has John Thune up by two points over Tim Johnson in South Dakota. That race is still basically a tie. But there does seem to have been a very small tick back in Thune's direction.

The thing one hears about Zogby though is that his state by state statistical models aren't nearly as good as his national one. (He didn't do well at all calling Hillary/Lazio in 2000). So the Zogby polls may merit a measure of skepticism all around.

Just what I hear.