The poorly-educated. Former Pat Buchanan supporters. Xenophobes. Donald Trump is doing great things for these groups, but one group more than any: the Democratic Party.
Six years after the Tea Party wave swept a handful of conservative Republicans into the Senate, their seats are up for re-election. Some, like Florida Senator and former Presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, are not seeking re-election. Others, like Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, face the very opponent they knocked out of office in 2010. And thanks to Donald Trump, the Democratic Party is confident they can gain the five seats necessary to flip the Senate back into Democratic hands.
The Senate of the 114th Congress is comprised of 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 2 Independents, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Angus King (I-ME), both of whom caucus with the Democrats. 34 Senators are up for re-election in 2016, 10 Democrats, and 24 Republicans. Of these 34, nine races are considered close. Most incumbent politicians have no trouble retaining their seats. Connecticut’s own Senator Richard Blumenthal is up for re-election to his second term in 2016, but his only Republican opponent thus far is August Wolf, a bond salesman from Stamford with no political experience.
The most vulnerable Republican incumbent is Illinois Senator Mark Kirk, who is being challenged by Illinois Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. Duckworth is one of the first female veterans elected to Congress and the first disabled person, having lost both of her legs when the helicopter she was piloting was shot down. She has been endorsed by the other Illinois Senator, Dick Durbin, as well as EMILY’s List and the Illinois AFL-CIO. Mark Kirk, strangely enough, received the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign, a major LGBT advocacy group. Kirk was also the first Republican Senator to meet with President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, counter to the wishes of Republican leadership.
Another Tea Party darling is New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte. She faces off against current New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan. Both these strong politicians are incredibly popular in the Granite State (a swing state), so this fight will be to the bitter end.
Ron Johnson (R) is one Republican fighting for his political career this November in a purplish state. His home state of Wisconsin voted for Obama in 2012. He has consistently trailed behind his Democratic challenger, Russ Feingold, in the polls, but a recent one shows him closing the gap. Scott Walker, the Republican governor, has fended off repeated attempts at recall elections due to his strong stance on unions. He has alienated many of the voters that Republicans need to win in a general elections, which potentially has affected the Senator’s popularity as well.
John McCain, the old (oh so very old) Senator from Arizona is once again in an election. He ran unsuccessfully against Obama in 2008, as I’m sure you all remember, and has since been a stalwart on the right in the Senate who has rejected much of the new right that has stubbornly resisted bipartisanship.
Michael Bennet in Colorado is one of a minority of Democrats running for re election. Colorado went for Obama in 2012. Born in New Delhi, the Wesleyan graduate is likely to retain his seat.
There are also empty seats in Nevada and Florida, two key swing states. Despite voting for Obama in 2012, Florida has been looking more and more like a Republican state with its Republican Governor as well as its being the home state of Marco Rubio (whom Donald Trump has called the “the future of the Republican Party”). As for Nevada: Harry Reid was the Senate Majority leader for a while until the Democrats lost control, and it's his Senate seat that needs filling. He was fairly unpopular in Nevada, but the Republican Party there has been totally inept. We will see what happens.
The Senate is in the balance. While the nation’s attention has been on the Presidential election, it’s the Senate that will decided much of the nation’s policies going forward. It’s the Republican Senate that has successfully killed Obama’s last two years in office, and it’s the Senate that has to approve appointments to the Supreme Court. While the nation may gaze at the Presidential election like a dazzling fireworks show, the Senatorial elections will truly guide America’s course for the next - not 4 years - but 6 years.
The poorly-educated. Former Pat Buchanan supporters. Xenophobes. Donald Trump is doing great things for these groups, but one group more than any: the Democratic Party.
Six years after the Tea Party wave swept a handful of conservative Republicans into the Senate, their seats are up for re-election. Some, like Florida Senator and former Presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, are not seeking re-election. Others, like Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, face the very opponent they knocked out of office in 2010. And thanks to Donald Trump, the Democratic Party is confident they can gain the five seats necessary to flip the Senate back into Democratic hands.
The Senate of the 114th Congress is comprised of 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 2 Independents, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Angus King (I-ME), both of whom caucus with the Democrats. 34 Senators are up for re-election in 2016, 10 Democrats, and 24 Republicans. Of these 34, nine races are considered close. Most incumbent politicians have no trouble retaining their seats. Connecticut’s own Senator Richard Blumenthal is up for re-election to his second term in 2016, but his only Republican opponent thus far is August Wolf, a bond salesman from Stamford with no political experience.
The most vulnerable Republican incumbent is Illinois Senator Mark Kirk, who is being challenged by Illinois Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. Duckworth is one of the first female veterans elected to Congress and the first disabled person, having lost both of her legs when the helicopter she was piloting was shot down. She has been endorsed by the other Illinois Senator, Dick Durbin, as well as EMILY’s List and the Illinois AFL-CIO. Mark Kirk, strangely enough, received the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign, a major LGBT advocacy group. Kirk was also the first Republican Senator to meet with President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, counter to the wishes of Republican leadership.
Another Tea Party darling is New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte. She faces off against current New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan. Both these strong politicians are incredibly popular in the Granite State (a swing state), so this fight will be to the bitter end.
Ron Johnson (R) is one Republican fighting for his political career this November in a purplish state. His home state of Wisconsin voted for Obama in 2012. He has consistently trailed behind his Democratic challenger, Russ Feingold, in the polls, but a recent one shows him closing the gap. Scott Walker, the Republican governor, has fended off repeated attempts at recall elections due to his strong stance on unions. He has alienated many of the voters that Republicans need to win in a general elections, which potentially has affected the Senator’s popularity as well.
John McCain, the old (oh so very old) Senator from Arizona is once again in an election. He ran unsuccessfully against Obama in 2008, as I’m sure you all remember, and has since been a stalwart on the right in the Senate who has rejected much of the new right that has stubbornly resisted bipartisanship.
Michael Bennet in Colorado is one of a minority of Democrats running for re election. Colorado went for Obama in 2012. Born in New Delhi, the Wesleyan graduate is likely to retain his seat.
There are also empty seats in Nevada and Florida, two key swing states. Despite voting for Obama in 2012, Florida has been looking more and more like a Republican state with its Republican Governor as well as its being the home state of Marco Rubio (whom Donald Trump has called the “the future of the Republican Party”). As for Nevada: Harry Reid was the Senate Majority leader for a while until the Democrats lost control, and it's his Senate seat that needs filling. He was fairly unpopular in Nevada, but the Republican Party there has been totally inept. We will see what happens.
The Senate is in the balance. While the nation’s attention has been on the Presidential election, it’s the Senate that will decided much of the nation’s policies going forward. It’s the Republican Senate that has successfully killed Obama’s last two years in office, and it’s the Senate that has to approve appointments to the Supreme Court. While the nation may gaze at the Presidential election like a dazzling fireworks show, the Senatorial elections will truly guide America’s course for the next - not 4 years - but 6 years.
