The story of the race for the United States Senate in 2008 to this point it the abundance of serious pick up opportunities for the Democrats. Todd just wrote about Virginia, which is one of the one or two best chances for the Democrats to win a new seat this cycle. But even outside of the Virginia, Colorado, Nebraska and New Hampshire, all of which might lean Democrat by the time voters go to the polls next fall, the Democrats have a number of solid pick up opportunities elsewhere in the country, including Minnesota. Take a look at the latest Rasmussen Reports numbers out of the state showing freshman Republican Senator not at all immune to bids from either of his leading Democratic challengers, Al Franken or Mike Ciresi.

500 LVs, September 6, MoE +/- 4.5%

Head-to-heads

Coleman 46
Franken 41

Coleman 46
Ciresi 42

Favorables

Coleman 54/46
Franken 46/47
Ciresi 40/43

An incumbent sitting at under 50 percent against either of his named Democratic challengers is weak no matter how you slice it. Particularly when you take into consideration that both of Coleman's potential adversaries have relatively high unfavorable numbers yet he still cannot get to 50 percent, Coleman looks weak.

No doubt Minnesota is not a gimme for the Democrats. But with the growing number of races in which the Democrats have a realistic chance at winning it becomes increasingly difficult for the Republicans to hold each of their potentially endangered seats (a finite amount of money gets stretched thinner and thinner as it goes to more and more states, particularly when some of those states are especially expensive, like Virginia and New Hampshire).

If you want to get involved in this race, head on over to the MyDD/Daily Kos/Swing State Project/Open Left Blue Majority Act Blue page and throw a few dollars in the direction of Mr. Franken.