Republicans defecting to the Democrats. The great turning of the tide has begun.

In Virginia, Jim Webb, a one-time Reagan official, is seeking to be a Democrat senator. In South Carolina, top Republican prosecutor Barney Giese has defected after a spat with conservatives. Back in Kansas another top Republican, Paul Morrison, also joined the Democrats and is challenging a Republican to be the state attorney-general.

Democrats are hoping that the Republican party of President George W Bush has passed its high-water mark. That, faced with disaster in Iraq, a host of domestic troubles and terrible opinion poll ratings, they can start to retake power in November. From there they can start to take aim at the White House itself. They hope the powerful conservative movement born in states such as Kansas will also die there.

The defections across the country have been spurred mostly by a reaction to the extremism of the right. The future, as Kansas predicts it, lies in the middle ground for the first party to stake a claim to it. 'That is the absolute lesson. No party is going to win an election by being on the edges. The first to go to the middle ground will win,' Gates said.

I am not so sure I agree with that last statement. The Democrats might move a little more toward the middle but they must show a definite difference between themselves and the Republicans.

Democrats must be for peace, but not weak on defense.

Democrats must be compassionate, but not seen as soft.

Democrats must be able to balance the budget, but not let themsleves get labeled as advocating more taxes.

But above all the Democrats must demonstrate unity. They must speak with one voice and not allow the Republicans to take advantage of any rifts or disagreements within the party.

The Democrats should be able to take back both the House and the Senate. And if they cannot then it really will be time for a third political party in this country.