Thus ends the ‘Cuda’s Senate dreams and with it, in all probability, the dream of an effective Republican filibuster.

Alaska-based GOP pollster David Dittman, who worked for Sen. Ted Stevens during this year’s primary race, believes Democratic challenger Mark Begich is all but certain to expand his current razor-thin lead and snatch the seat.

“I don’t think Stevens can come back,” Dittman said, noting that he thinks the remaining trove of uncounted ballots will help Begich “increase his lead.”…

Dittman believes early and absentee ballots, which compromise the approximately 40,000 votes left to count, will likely reflect Begichs’ overall advantage so far among those who took advantage of either process. Heavy early voting occurred in the period that directly followed Stevens’ conviction on seven felony counts of making false statements on his Senate financial disclosure forms.

Even if Coleman and Chambliss pull their races out — which seems unlikely — this would mean 58 blue seats with only centrist Republicans like Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and Arlen Specter in the way of a filibuster-proof majority. Dude. Dude.