Jane Hamsher's Firedoglake post "24 Blue Dogs Have Said They Support a Public Option" offers at least some hope that a healthy percentage of conservative/moderate Democrats in congress are open to supporting a progressive health care bill, if other concerns are adequately addressed. Hamsher does a good job of explaining the expressions of support made by each of the 24 Blue Dog House members, and includes Nate Silver's estimates of support/opposition for the public option in each of their districts. Hamsher adds:

Those who should be on the list but aren't: Dennis Cardoza (73-20), John Tanner (56-35), Alan Boyd (52-38), John Barrow (51-41) , Joe Donnelly (56-35) and Heath Shuler (51-39), who all quite likely have majority district support for a public option. Many others have plurality district support. Because come 2010, they will all have to explain it to their constituents.

Hamsher challenges previous estimates that only a dozen Blue Dogs have expressed support for a public option, but warns, "The fact that a Blue Dog has supported a public option in the past does not mean that they will support one now -- their principles tend to be lobbyist-flexible." With Hamsher and other bloggers on their case, those who waffle are not likely to get a free ride.

Update: Thanks, Bernie for the spelling correction