Republicans are hoping that the mid-term elections, in which the party holding the White House often loses seats in Congress, will help them regain control of the Senate, which is in a 50-50 tie broken by Vice President Kamala Harris, and the House, where Democrats currently have a razor-thin majority.
As the 2022 election begins to loom large in America’s political calendar, the Cook Political Report has put three Democratic-held seats in its toss-up columns.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, who was elected in a special election in January that led to Democratic control of the Senate, is on the Cook report’s toss-up list.
Four Republicans are considering a race, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Two veterans, Kelvin King and Latham Saddler, have indicated interest in running, as has Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black.
Former University of Georgia football star Herschel Walker is also running. Walker has the support of former President Donald Trump.
“Herschel Walker will never let you down,” Trump said in a statement.
Big Trump endorsement in Georgia Senate race — Herschel Walker pic.twitter.com/8CMQGBF3ma
— Emily Brooks (@emilybrooksnews) September 2, 2021
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona is listed as another toss-up.
Attorney General Mark Brnovich heads a list of Arizona Republicans who have either declared they will run or are exploring their options.
The Cook report also said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto in the toss-up category.
Republican Adam Laxalt is running against Cortez Masto, according to the Associated Press.
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— Adam Paul Laxalt (@AdamLaxalt) October 18, 2021
“Right now it seems like the wrong side is winning. The radical left, rich elites, woke corporations, academia, Hollywood and the media — they’re taking over America,” Laxalt said in a campaign ad.
Fred Lokken, a political science professor at Truckee Meadows Community College, said an edge in party enrollments might not be the salvation for Cortez Masto.
“She’s up against a pattern,” he said. “Disillusionment with the promises that the party in power made maybe stimulates people to vote for the other party.”
The Cook report said Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire is in a race that “leans Democrat.”
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu recently announced he will run for re-election, setting off a GOP hunt for a candidate to oppose Hassan, according to The Hill.
“Because Chris Sununu waited so long and decided against running, Republicans do have to scramble to figure out who is the next best candidate to make the best challenge to Sen. Hassan,” New Hampshire GOP strategist Mike Dennehy said. “I don’t think anyone could say differently, including Chris Sununu, because that’s just a fact.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
