Democrats' Senate map is expanding in some very unexpected places
Category: News & Politics
Via: jbb • 4 years ago • 10 commentsBy: Kerry Eleveld, Daily Kos Staff (Daily Kos)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
If you're seeking evidence that the Senate map is expanding, not contracting, for Democrats, look no further than Cook Political Report 's ratings change in the Mississippi Senate race from "solid" to "likely" Republican. Republicans will most likely hold that seat on election night, but the idea that things are loosening even a tad in a state like Mississippi is somewhat astonishing.
The movement in such an unlikely state also suggests Democrats are very much in the running to bring home some of the lower-tier Senate races. One of Democrats' best chances for a pickup in a state that initially fell below the radar appears to be Montana, where Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock is in striking distance of unseating GOP Sen. Steve Daines.
A new poll released Wednesday by Montana State University put Bullock up 1 point, 48%-47%, with 5% undecided. And although Donald Trump is still running 7 points ahead of Joe Biden, 52%-45%, the other statewide races for governor the state's at-large congressional seat are neck and neck. In the gubernatorial race, Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney and GOP Rep. Greg Gianforte are tied at 45%, while Republican at-large candidate Matt Rosendale holds a one-point lead over Democrat Kathleen Williams, 47%-46%. In other words, Montana looks to be very competitive and Democrats could pick up some important seats there.
In Kansas, Democrat Barbara Bollier won the endorsement of the Kansas City Star , which compared Bollier's GOP opponent Rep. Roger Marshall to the highly unpopular Republican, Kris Kobach. "Don’t be fooled," wrote the Star , "Marshall is every bit as conservative as Kobach. Bollier is far better prepared to meet this moment." Kansas.com also endorsed her as "an independent thinker," writing, "It’s no surprise that more than 80 current and former Republican leaders have endorsed her campaign." An internal poll conducted by GBAO found Bollier leading by 1 point, 46%-45%, with Libertarian Jason Buckley drawing 4% and 4% undecided. Yet apparently, Marshall feels so good about the state of play that he decided to skip the final debate altogether. In a pretty stunning move, Marshall suggested he got "set up" after the Topeka TV Station KSNT tried to contact him repeatedly and even sent a certified letter inviting him to participate in the debate.
Watch this video from @KSNTnews tonight. @RogerMarshallMD got caught shamelessly lying after he blew off a 3rd debate. While I was in the studio speaking directly to Kansans.
The difference is clear: I'll always show up for you, while he'll mislead and deceive. #KSSen pic.twitter.com/12rV52bUwU
— Dr. Barbara Bollier (@BarbaraBollier) October 29, 2020
In South Carolina, Cook Political has the race between Democrat Jaime Harrison and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham in tossup territory . Since Harrison's eye-popping $57 million fundraising haul in the third quarter, he has also picked up the endorsement of the South Carolina's oldest newspaper, The State . The Economist's forecast model is also "unclear which candidate will win," putting the race in the same category as other tight races that have been viewed as slightly more ripe for Democratic pickups, such as the two Georgia Senate races along with the one in Iowa.
Some Democratic Senate candidates are obviously much better poised to deliver wins on election night, but if there's one thing that unites nearly all these races—from the "very likely" flips to the "unclear"—it's that they are trending in Democrats' direction, according to forecasts and recent polling.
That's a good sign and suggests Democrats might walk away with an unexpected victory or two in some of the scrappier races that weren’t originally viewed as being in the offing for Democrats. 
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Wouldn't it be glorious to see Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell go down in inglorious defeat?
Remember what happened last time we gave the Democrats majorities and the WH.
The midterms were not kind to Democrats then, and if they do win the majority, I look for the shake up come the midterms
Debbie Downer called. She wants her gig back...
Oh, I know, you didn't consider the midterms of 2010 legitimate because the GOP didn't get more OVERALL votes for Congress, right?
Oh, WAIT a minute--the GOP DID get the most overall votes in 2010, by over 5.5 Million.
LOL!
Ohh yes!!! That would be a real gift from the Creator. I could die in peace if those two and Trump were defeated.Then America might actually recover from the mess it has become within the past 4 years. It would at least give us a chance to get start on a recovery that is so badly needed.
Both are longshots, but we can always hope...
The GOP needs to be slapped down for what they've done these past several years.
Unfortunately, to many of the courts are stacked and the GOP has no qualms what so ever with using legislative maneuver to manipulate the vote.
Is it any wonder that the once Grand Old Party of Abraham Lincoln is now known merely as the gop?
GOP is dead. Owned by Trump who is owned by Putin and Erdogan.
Really, really, REALLY dead this time, or will it be like in 2008 when Democrats declared the GOP dead, only to lose the House to a DEAD PARTY in 2010?