Republicans Likely to Win Senate Majority; Miller Slated to Win in Alaska
Liberal Senator Mark Begich is running for reelection and, according to pundits, will face Joe Miller in the general. Miller is slated to win that contest, too.
Photo Credit: Win McNamee / Getty ImagesIn Nebraska, Republican senate nominee Ben Sasse leads by 17 percent over Democrat nominee David Domina, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released yesterday. Sasse, a conservative Republican supported by all the major national TEA party and conservative organizations, won the primary in Nebaska this past Tuesday and appears to be likely to be elected the state’s junior senator in November. Rasmussen Reports have him leading 51 percent to Domina at 34 percent in that senate race.
In the meantime, the senate seat in Kentucky is now in play, as the Real Clear Politics average of polls gives Mitch McConnell only a one point lead over Democrat nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes in the race for the Kentucky senate seat. McConnell first ran in 1984 for this senate seat, and by the end of 2014 he will have served 30 years as senator. McConnell was reelected with just 53 percent of the vote in 2008, and is likely to be more vulnerable in 2014.
If McConnell loses the general election, it would help the Democrats retain a majority of the senate after the 2014 elections despite seat lost in other states. There are 36 seats up for election in 2014. Among the other 64 seats not up for election in 2014, Democrats hold 34 of them while Republicans hold 30. 25 of the seats up for election are considered likely or safe for either party, which includes 16 seats currently held by Republicans and 10 seats currently held by Democrats. With those seats added, Democrats will have 44 seats (including the two independents that caucus with the Democrats) and Republicans will have 46 seats. The remaining 10 seats will decide which party controls the senate after the 2014 elections…
Alaska: Incumbent Senator Mark Begich is running for reelection and 2010 nominee Joe Miller appears to be the likely GOP nominee. Begich should be a strong candidate but a united (rather than divided like four years ago with Lisa Murkowski running as a write-in) GOP behind the eventual Republican nominee would give him a fair shot at defeating Begich. For now, this one leans Republican.
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