Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel left the possibility of running for president as an independent along with NY City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wide open on Face the Nation yesterday.

One thing the article didn’t pontificate on is the possibility that if Hagel leaves the party officially the Republicans will be one more vote shy of a majority in the Senate. The prospects thus far don’t look good for Republicans wanting to take back that body in 2008 and one more seat lost won’t make it any easier for them.