The GOP has several targets for building that wave: West Virginia, Arkansas and South Dakota. In West Virginia, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito isn't expected to have a primary challenge and the Democrats aren't sufficiently strong yet to defend the seat held by retiring Sen. Jay Rockefeller. In Arkansas, Sen. Mark Pryor is a top GOP target. And in South Dakota, the seat being vacated by Democrat Sen. Tim Johnson now leans Republican.
The second tier of targets include Louisiana, Alaska, North Carolina and even Michigan, where rumors swirl that long-time Democratic lobbyist Debbie Dingell, wife of Rep. John Dingell, is eyeing a run.
Powering the effort is the NRSC's "majority mentality," which has the organization pushing in nearly every race. While in some years the GOP has put most its eggs in obvious pick-up states, the NRSC is expanding its portfolio to build momentum and create a few backup states in case something happens in elections that now look like easy wins.
