At the Netroots Nation gathering over the weekend in Las Vegas -- clearly a less glamorous locale than last year's Pittsburgh convention, where Bill Clinton spoke (above, PG's John Heller photo) -- the progressive activists identified the Pennsylvania Senate race as the second most important race this fall in a straw poll.

The Harry Reid-Sharron Angle race -- pitting the Senate Majority Leader against a tea party pick who's been a bit batty -- was the top vote getter with 31 percent, but Pat Toomey vs. Joe Sestak was second with 25 percent. This enthusiasm is a likely result of Toomey's past as president of the arch-conservative Club for Growth combined with the insurgent victory by Sestak against party-switching Sen. Arlen Specter in the May primary.

Rounding out Netroots' top races: Kentucky Senate (Democrat Jack Conway vs. Republican Rand Paul), Minnesota's 6th District House race (Democrat Tarryl Clark vs. Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann) and Virginia's 5th District House race (Democrat Rep. Tom Perriello vs. Republican Robert Hurt).