But some party officials worry that it may be too late to organize a strong turnout operation.

"They are proud of their turnout operation," Ms. McCaskill said.

Republicans, in the end, are hoping to make the Senate race tight enough that a superior turnout operation can make the difference.

"We've been building our turnout operation since 2005."

That's the whole reason why it is so important to build the turnout operation.

The committee said it would provide $12 million to finance turnout operations for candidates running for the House and the Senate, and for state races.

Just $2.6 million would go to finance turnout operations in 40 House races, far less than House Democratic leaders had asked for.

As Mehlman himself says, turnout operations help - but only so much.

We needed some for a turnout operation.

In the 2002 Congressional elections, the Republican Party did not begin assembling its turnout operation until four months before Election Day.