Democrats anticipate multiple routes to gaining a Senate majority in the upcoming election cycle. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has identified key target states for potential pickups and outlined its strategy, emphasizing strong candidate recruitment and a message centered on economic costs and healthcare access.
DSCC Strategy and Targets
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), chair of the DSCC, stated that the party has an unexpected opportunity to flip the Senate. Despite needing to gain four seats and defend several competitive states, the DSCC's Executive Director Devan Barber listed Alaska, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio as states with potential pickup opportunities. Barber also noted strong campaigns in states currently held by Democrats, including Michigan, Georgia, and New Hampshire. Gillibrand expressed confidence in the Democrats controlling the Senate next year, citing the strength of Democratic candidates, the nature of Republican primaries, and the impact of former President Trump's policies on costs and healthcare.
Republican Response
Joanna Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), stated that Republican senators are delivering on promises related to community safety, economic well-being, and opportunities for families, contrasting this with what she termed "four years of Democrat failure." She also suggested that Democratic primaries would yield candidates unaligned with their states' values and potentially lead to disunity within the party.
Primary Challenges and Internal Party Concerns
The DSCC has promoted top recruits in several key races where primary contests have been avoided, such as former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina, former Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio, and former Rep. Mary Peltola in Alaska. However, primaries have emerged in other states.
A notable Democratic primary is occurring in Maine, where Democrats aim to defeat Senator Susan Collins. The DSCC supports Gov. Janet Mills, who faces a challenge from Graham Platner. The committee has been criticized by some Democrats, including members of a group of senators, for its involvement in primaries and for potentially favoring "establishment" candidates. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) publicly criticized the DSCC, suggesting it supports candidates more acceptable to wealthy donors. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also noted ongoing concerns about the committee backing establishment candidates over those potentially better suited for general elections.
Gillibrand defended the DSCC's approach, stating the focus is on "winning" and recruiting "formidable candidates" who have a track record of success and understand their constituents. She denied articulating any preference in the Iowa primary, despite reports of the DSCC discouraging consultants from working with specific candidates.
Expanding the Electoral Map and Key Issues
Democrats are also navigating a primary in Texas and see potential opportunities to expand their battlefield beyond the initial target list to states like Iowa and potentially Mississippi, despite its history of Democratic Senate losses. Gillibrand indicated that "no state is off the table" for consideration of resources.
The DSCC memo and Gillibrand emphasized a consistent message focusing on combating high costs and protecting access to healthcare. Gillibrand stated that candidates' approaches to immigration and deportation policies might vary by state but expected a national focus on economic and health care issues, arguing that Trump's policies have negatively impacted these areas.