With Harris ahead, House and Senate are more important than ever
By
Washington Examiner
September 5, 2024 12:01 am
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When former President Donald Trump seemed to be coasting to the White House against an enfeebled President Joe Biden, the Republican Party was also sanguine about the likely results of this year’s House and Senate elections. Trump would be president, and his coattails would undoubtedly pull a few senators and representatives across the finish line, giving Republicans a workable governing majority.
But that was before the Democratic Party pushed Biden aside in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. Where Trump was up comfortably by 3 points against Biden, Harris is now up by 2. Bigger leads in swing states such as Arizona and Georgia have also disappeared. Republicans need to face the real possibility that Trump could lose in November, as well as the real danger Harris would pose if Democrats took the House and maintained 50 seats in the Senate.
In the House, Republicans hold a small eight-seat majority in a chamber of 435. Election forecasters have said Republicans have a strong chance of winning 209 of this year’s races, compared to 205 seats for the Democratic Party. That leaves 21 seats up for grabs between now and Election Day. Democrats need to take only 13 to regain the majority, a definite possibility. All 21 of the toss-up races are worth spending on, but the biggest battles are being fought in blue states, with Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA) facing tough reelections in California, as well as Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) facing a close fight in New York.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3142809/with-harris-ahead-house-senate-more-important/
