With a little help from friends

Democratic senators "have been pursuing all fundraising avenues" to help Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid save his job, Roll Call reports this morning.

The biggest backers have been Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee "who understands Reid's victory helps keep him atop" the panel.

Democrats in the Senate have given more than $379,000 to Reid's re-election campaign and almost double that amount, $712,000, to the Nevada Democratic Party, according to a Roll Call analysis.

Schumer and Baucus together were responsible for more than $600,000 of the funds given to the state party, which likely are being spent on get-out-the-vote projects.

Among other ways Reid is getting assists from his colleagues, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois loaned the Nevadan one of his staffers who specializes in Hispanic outreach, Roll Call said. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia picked up the $1,849 tab for a catered event.