Republicans are bracing for a 'wave' election on Tuesday that could put them in control of both houses of Congress for the last two years of Barack Obama's presidency. They already run the House of Representatives, and expect to enlarge their majority. But the battle royale is in the Senate, where the GOP's 45 seats could become as many as 54 by the time the dust settles. 'Democrats are expecting an old-school shellacking,' a campaign consultant  who worked for Obama's 2012 campaign in Iowa told MailOnline on Monday. He was promised anonymity so he could speak freely. 'President Obama has been the worst thing that could have happened to Dems in the Senate this year. Everything Obama touches this year turns to s**t. The Republicans are going to laugh all the way back to Washington, and the president is going to be on defense until he leaves.'
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GOP could gain as many as NINE Senate seats but needs just six to take over both houses of Congress
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Former Obama campaign consultant: 'President Obama has been the worst thing that could have happened to Dems in the Senate this year. Everything Obama touches this year turns to s**t'
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Wild cards include an 'independent' candidate who could join up with either party, and two races that may go to runoffs in December and January
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The White House will be on permanent defense until the end of Obama's term if Democrats lose big
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Then the real battle begins as Congress will send bill after bill to the president and force him to sign them or be labeled an obstructionist
Obama has largely stayed off the campaign trail as his fellow @placeholder find it a liability to be seen with him in public.
Obama will be powerless to dictate the terms of legislation or stop Senate votes from happening if @placeholder perform Tuesday as expected