Ensign fighting an uphill battle against Democratic Senate candidates

Republican Sen. John Ensign believes that it's not a matter of if Democrats will increase their majority in the Senate, it's a matter of how many seats the party will take.

"That doesn't mean it's going to be the six or seven seats the Democrats are predicting," the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee told CongressDaily. "Could we hold it to three seats? Yeah, it's possible we could hold it to three seats."

The NRSC is doing its part to minimize Republican casualties in November by only giving cash to races in which Republicans have a chance.

"If a race is going to win on its own, we're not going to play," Ensign told CongressDaily. "If it's going to lose and no chance to win, we're not going to play.

Outside of the NRSC, Ensign hopes that a fear of unions will help keep some Republican seats safe. According to the Las Vegas Sun, Ensign may have found "the perfect tool" in the Employee Free Choice Act - a bill that would eliminate secret-ballot votes, increase penalties for employers who utilize unfair labor practices, and possibly increase unionization across the country.

And Ensign isn't alone in his fight. According to the Sun, both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Freedom's Watch - an organization led by Las Vegas casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson responsible for recent robo-call attacks on Democrats - are also fighting this legislation.