Election '84: five crucial races for the US Senate

SENATE: Democratic hopes of replacing the Republicans as the majority party have all but faded away. If the Reagan-Bush ticket won Nov.6, the Democrats would need to pick up six Senate seats to be able to offset the tie-breaking vote of the vice-president. If Mondale-Ferraro won, Democrats would need to pick up only five Senate seats. By most estimates, the Democrats have four Senate candidates still considered possible winners against Republican incumbents or in races for seats vacated by Republicans. Republicans have a plausible chance of picking up at least two Senate seats. Thus, the Democrats might narrow the 55-45 GOP majority, but are highly unlikely to overcome it. HOUSE: A Reagan landslide Nov.6 could sweep enough Republicans into the House to enable the GOP minority, with the help of conservative Democrats, to foil the majority Democrats on many key issues. A rough projection of the possible lineup in the House next year: 250 Democrats, 185 Republicans.

Last of six pages on regional contests in the Nov. 6 election. Previous pages appeared Sept. 6 and 20, Oct. 11, 23, and 26.