Ahem.

I believe this sounds a bit familiar. Gee, I wonder why? Oh, it may be because I said pretty much the same thing several times, most recently today.

ATLANTA — Riding a wave of discontent over the economy, Iraq and gas prices, Democrats are hoping to win enough seats to retake the House of Representatives this November. But their success could also hinge on their ability to keep the seats they already have — and doing so could prove difficult in two key races in Georgia.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Jim Marshall of Macon and John Barrow of Savannah are facing hearty challenges from a pair of former Republican congressmen with name recognition and the ability to raise big money. Bolstering their chances are new district boundaries drawn up by the first GOP-dominated Georgia Legislature since Reconstruction.

The outcome of the races could have broad national implications. The Democratic Party needs a net gain of 15 seats to obtain a majority in the House. Its candidates are posing serious threats to Republican incumbents in states such as Indiana, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

But Republicans have also identified a handful of vulnerable Democratic incumbents, and are hoping to pick off a few of them to thwart a Democratic return to power.

"Everyone's focused right now on where Democrats can gain seats, and properly so — it's a Democratic year," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "But if Republicans can steal even a few seats from Democrats, it will probably eliminate the chances of a Democratic takeover.

"Georgia has two of these races — I really don't think there is another state where there are two Democratic seats that are at least somewhat vulnerable."

Carl Forti, communications director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Marshall and Barrow were among 10 House Democratic incumbents his party considered beatable this year.

Others include veteran Iowa Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, a septuagenarian who has had health problems and who is facing a well-funded Republican challenger; Rep. Melissa Bean, an Illinois freshman whose victory was aided by the lackluster campaign of her 2004 rival; and Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas, whose district includes President Bush's Crawford ranch.

In Georgia, as in much of the South, the Democratic Party has been dramatically losing ground in recent years. Since 2004, Republicans have controlled both chambers of the state Legislature and the governor's office.

The problem with counting chickens before they are hatched is that some eggs never make it to hatching.