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WASHINGTON - The close race for majority control of the Senate may come down to this:

Can Republican candidates in Massachusetts and Connecticut win over President Barack Obama's voters and can Democrats from Indiana to Arizona impress Mitt Romney's GOP backers?

Ticket-splitting is vital to the prospects of Senate candidates in a half dozen races in states that Obama and Romney are expected to win handily.

These candidates are significantly outdistancing their parties' presidential nominees in polls, turning what should be an election-year rout into too-close-to-call contests.

With about three weeks to Election Day, Democrats hold a slight edge in keeping their majority in the Senate.

But Republicans have a real shot if they can put together a string of wins in Democratic seats.