WaPo: Lautenberg weak, GOP weaker

Yesterday's Washington Post had an analysis of the battle for control of the U.S. Senate next year that painted a pretty rosy picture for the Democrats. Of note is the section on New Jersey's Frank R. Lautenberg:

One unlikely Republican opportunity could be in New Jersey, where even Democratic strategists acknowledge that Sen. Frank Lautenberg's numbers are somewhat soft.

In a recent Quinnipiac University poll, 31 percent of New Jersey voters said Lautenberg deserves reelection, while 54 percent of the sample agreed with the statement that Lautenberg is "too old to effectively serve another six-year term as U.S. Senator." He's 83.

The problem for Republicans? New Jersey campaigns are largely waged in two of the nation's most expensive media markets: New York City's and Philadelphia's. Republicans would need millions of dollars they don't have to make the race competitive.