FQ - Your points are good and valid, except that you're overlooking one thing. Assuming that the seats OTHER than Reid's remain static, the simple act of electing a republican into Reid's Senate seat erases the dem's super-majority in the Senate. Granted, we get stuck with Chucky Schumer (aka, the antichrist) as majority leader, but it puts the republicans in the position of having SOME (albeit precious little) power in that body. And prcious little is better than being run over, roughshod.
Or am I missing something stupidly obvious?