Senate race a tossup, analysts say

Two top national analysts say the Senate race is a tossup.

The Rothenberg Political Report says that the race between U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Democrat Kay Hagan is now a "toss-up."

"Elizabeth Dole has been damaged by a barrage of Democratic attacks," the report notes, adding that Dole is in "the fight of her political life for a second term." 

Meantime, Congressional Quarterly's CQ Politics has moved the race to "No Clear Favorite," saying that recent polling "suggests that Dole does indeed have her hands full in fending off Hagan."

It notes taht Dole has a resume and a "nearly universally recognized name" that are advantages, but may not be enough:

The only question is whether this resume, an advantage to Dole when she won the 2002 contest for the seat left open by the retirement of five-term Republican Sen. Jesse Helms, is less of a bulwark in an election year in which the presidential nominees of both major parties, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain , are campaigning on platforms of "change" and pledges to shake up the Washington political establishment.