1 week Ago
WASHINGTON — A handful of key Senate races are likely to determine control of the chamber this fall. Some of the closest contests are heating up after candidates in Texas, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin took the debate stage this week to make their case to voters. Currently, there are 49 Republicans serving in the Senate, 48 Democrats and three Independents who caucus with Democrats, effectively giving the party a 51-49 seat majority.
As Democrats defend their slim edge in the upper chamber, political analysts say it’s going to be an uphill climb. “I think Republicans are going to win the Senate. They have a much clearer path,” said Todd Belt, director of George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.
“Democrats have many more seats that they have to defend than Republicans do. You can take one off the board for Democrats right away, and that's West Virginia.” West Virginia Sen.
Joe Manchin is retiring and, in the race to replace him, Republican Gov. Jim Justice has a big lead over Democrat Glenn Elliott, the former mayor of Wheeling. Perhaps the riskiest race for Democrats this year is playing out in Montana, where incumbent Democratic Sen.
Jon Tester is facing a difficult challenge from Republican Tim Sheehy, a businessman and former Navy SEAL. The question is whether Tester can continue to defy the odds in an increasingly red state that favored former President Donald Trump by double digits in the 2020 election. “The number one Senate race that everybody's looking at is Montana.
This is the one that's really going to make or break the Senate,” Belt said. It’s one of eight states with the most competitive Senate races this fall, according to the Cook Political Report. The latest rating shows Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio are “toss ups.
” Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania “lean blue,” while Montana and Texas “lean red.” Of those eight contests, Incumbent Senator Ted Cruz is the only Republican defending his seat. One recent poll from Morning Consult shows, in historically red Texas, Cruz has a one point edge over Democratic Rep.
Colin Allred. The two met for their only debate on Tuesday night. Wisconsin also saw its first and likely final Senate debate of the season this week.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin sparred with Republican Eric Hovde on Friday. The Badger State is considered a key battleground in the presidential race and will likely play an important role in the fight for Senate control.
In another critical swing state, Pennsylvania's Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick disagreed on energy policy and abortion rights in their last debate on Tuesday. Another state to watch is Maryland, where the former Republican Gov.
Larry Hogan is facing Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks to fill an open seat. While the state has historically sent Democrats to the Senate, the race is unusually competitive this year. In a pivotal election, experts say these down-ballot races will play an outsized role in the country’s future.
"Control of the Senate is absolutely significant, not just for a President's legislative agenda, but all of the high ranking officials that have to be appointed and justices,” Belt said..
