How the Races for Governor Could Determine Who Controls the Senate
How the Races for Governor Could Determine Who Controls the Senate
Governors hold all the power and influence
From President Donald Trump; an executive branch leader who takes a knee during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner before the game to Vice President Mike Pence wearing a “Star-Spangled Banner” tie for his visit to the Capitol on National Flag Day.
On July 4, one of the most important and consequential congressional and political elections of the year will take place.
It is widely agreed that the Republicans will maintain their Senate majority as they regain control of all four chambers of Congress, the U.S. House, and the presidency. If not, Democrats could take over and control the House, and therefore, control the presidency and the Congress.
Now, because Republicans have a stronger than normal advantage in seats up for election in November, Democrats will need to win two additional seats in the Senate to take control of the chamber.
However, because the Republicans will hold a majority of both chambers in the 113th Congress, they have a powerful weapon at their disposal. This weapon is the ability to fill the seats with supporters of their party who are up for election in November.
This is what happens in the “swing states” that will determine the outcome.
Democrats have a better than 50-50 chance of holding onto more than one seat or more, depending on the outcome in Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Mississippi, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Michigan.
For the Democrats, the ability to gain additional seats in the Senate is a major advantage. This is true even when the Democrats hold only one seat, due to the possibility of having a “spoiler” who votes against the party at the end of the term that would lose the seat.
This is also true when the Republicans have more than one seat