{"id":1382327,"date":"2022-03-15T16:36:56","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T20:36:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1382327"},"modified":"2022-03-15T16:37:12","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T20:37:12","slug":"analysis-senate-majority-may-come-down-to-11-battleground-races","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-senate-majority-may-come-down-to-11-battleground-races\/","title":{"rendered":"Analysis: Senate Majority May Come Down to 11 Battleground Races"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fanalysis-senate-majority-may-come-down-to-11-battleground-races%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1382327&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">Thirty-five Senate seats are up for grabs in November, but 11 of them could determine which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans need to gain a net one seat to take back the majority in the upper chamber, which is currently split 50\u201350 but controlled by Democrats because the vice president casts tiebreaking votes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>Republicans\u2019 opportunity to take over lies in seven toss-up elections and four elections that lean either toward Republican or Democrat, according to the most up-to-date <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/epolls\/2022\/senate\/elections-map.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RealClearPolitics\u00a0map<\/a>. The map shows Democrat incumbents in Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Colorado will have to work to defend their seats, and the same goes for Republican incumbents in Wisconsin and Florida.<\/p>\n<p>Up for grabs are open seats of retiring senators in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Ohio.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>North Carolina, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>One of the first battleground state primaries happens in North Carolina on May 17. On the Republicans\u2019 side, one top contender is Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC), whom former President Donald Trump\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/06\/05\/trump-backs-ted-budd-senate-bid-he-will-fight-like-hell-in-north-carolina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">endorsed<\/a>\u00a0in a surprise announcement last June. Support from both Trump and the conservative Club for Growth, which is pouring millions into Budd\u2019s campaign \u2014 including by\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/03\/10\/exclusive-club-for-growth-begins-massive-pro-budd-north-carolina-senate-blitz-with-brutal-hit-slamming-mcrory-for-fauci-praise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">launching<\/a>\u00a0a $10 million ad blitz in the last two months of the primary \u2014 has strengthened Budd\u2019s winnability. The North Carolina congressman is facing former Gov. Pat McCrory (R), who previously served as Charlotte mayor and host to a popular Charlotte radio show.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20223368\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1233293238-1.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former President Donald Trump listens to Rep. Ted Budd announce he\u2019s running for Senate at the NCGOP state convention on June 5, 2021, in Greenville, North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>McCrory is backed by the state\u2019s retiring senator, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), who is leaving office on a sour note with Trump after joining six other senators in voting to convict Trump over the January 6 riot. McCrory also recently\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PatMcCroryNC\/status\/1491537866895286279?s=20&#038;t=Eq8ZE4e9__9mAT_PjOBluQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">spoke out<\/a>\u00a0in support of Trump\u2019s longtime nemesis Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), saying he wanted \u201cto compliment\u201d McConnell for his take on the concept of \u201clegitimate political discourse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While Budd and McCrory were\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/01\/17\/poll-ted-budd-pat-mccrory-poised-tight-north-carolina-senate-battle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">found<\/a>\u00a0polling neck-and-neck in a hypothetical matchup in a Cygnal poll in January, former Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) also remains in the race in a distant third place.<\/p>\n<p>The general election is therefore poised to be a matchup between either Budd or McCrory and the frontrunning Democrat candidate, Cheri Beasley, a black woman and former state Supreme Court justice who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/races\/summary?cycle=2022&#038;id=NCS2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">raised<\/a> the most money among the Democrat candidates so far.<\/p>\n<p>Trump just barely edged out a victory in North Carolina in 2020 \u2014 winning with about 1.4 percent of the vote. That thin margin suggests the Senate race could also come down to the wire, especially if Budd, Trump\u2019s preferred candidate, wins the primary and runs a campaign that mirrors that of the former president\u2019s.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p><span><strong>Pennsylvania, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania Republicans have been warming up to former hedge fund CEO David McCormick as a top Senate contender after Trump-backed candidate Sean Parnell\u2019s campaign was derailed by a public custody battle with his estranged wife. In at least three recent polls, McCormick has led the second-place candidate, television celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz, by a modest margin in the race to replace retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<div id=\"attachment_20120930\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/david-mccormick-dr-oz-getty-dod.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20120930 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/david-mccormick-dr-oz-getty-dod.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">David McCormick, Dr. Mehmet Oz (U.S. Dept. of Defense, Riccardo Savi\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Although Oz carries a hundred percent name recognition and initially appeared well-received when he launched his campaign, his background has been scrutinized amid his bid for office and unearthed concerns seem to be tarnishing his candidacy. Oz at one point, for instance, appeared to\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/dr-oz-gun-control-ideas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">promote<\/a>\u00a0\u201cred flag\u201d gun control laws on one of his shows, was\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/02\/12\/family-company-of-dr-oz-had-largest-fine-in-ice-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">found<\/a>\u00a0to have ownership in a company fined for employing illegal aliens, and has\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2022\/02\/16\/doctor-oz-close-ties-to-turkey-raise-concern-about-senate-candidacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">raised<\/a>\u00a0questions about his deep roots in Turkey, where he has dual-citizenship.<\/p>\n<p>Also in the primary mix are military veteran Kathy Barnette, real estate developer Jeff Bartos, and businesswoman Carla Sands. The latest primary poll, taken by Fox News, showed all three\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/PA-cross-tabs_Sen-Gov-Primaries_R_conducted-March-2-6_release-March-8-2022.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">polling<\/a>\u00a0in the single digits behind McCormick and Oz, though a plurality of respondents in that poll, or 31 percent, said they were undecided on whom to vote for.<\/p>\n<p>The Republican candidate is likely to face Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) or Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA) in the general election. A\u00a0<em>Philadelphia Inquirer<\/em>\u00a0report recently\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220310234548\/https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/election\/conor-lamb-john-fetterman-biden-sanders-20220214.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">described<\/a>\u00a0the Democrat contest as a \u201cPennsylvania-sized version of Joe Biden vs. Bernie Sanders,\u201d in which Lamb has attempted a more moderate persona while Fetterman appears more outside the box.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The primary takes place in two months on May 17, the same day as North Carolina\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Georgia, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Georgia\u2019s general election for Senate, which will take off after the state\u2019s May 24 primary, has shaped into a likely faceoff between incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and former athlete Herschel Walker. Walker, who is a household name in Georgia after winning the Heisman Trophy as a University of Georgia football star and going on to play in the NFL, has been polling miles ahead of his closest primary challenger, Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black.<\/p>\n<p>Walker represents a rare case of being backed by both Trump and Trump foe McConnell and has\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/02\/23\/herschel-walker-doesnt-support-kemp-or-perdue-im-mad-at-both-of-them\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">promoted<\/a>\u00a0a vision for a unified Republican Party amid other primary battles in his state \u2014 most notably the gubernatorial race between Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and former Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) \u2014 being bitter and combative in nature.<\/p>\n<p>When McConnell, who has typically backed incumbents,\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/10\/27\/senate-minority-leader-mitch-mcconnell-endorses-herschel-walker-georgia-senate-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">announced<\/a>\u00a0his endorsement of Walker, Walker thanked him for \u201chis commitment to bringing the party together toward the collective goal of defeating Senator Warnock.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Made a quick trip to DC to see some friends and future colleagues. We talked about how we have to save the American Dream so that everyone can have the opportunity to succeed. We are so grateful to have you all on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TeamHerschel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@teamherschel<\/a>! \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RLPX4iV8L0\">pic.twitter.com\/RLPX4iV8L0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Herschel Walker (@HerschelWalker) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HerschelWalker\/status\/1502294942873530371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 11, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Georgia has evolved into one of the most contentious battleground states. While the state has had a fully Republican-controlled legislature for almost two decades, Democrats stunned the country in 2020 by eking out narrow wins in Georgia at the federal level. The presidential race there was the closest of any state and came down to about 12,000 votes out of nearly five million votes cast.<\/p>\n<p>Warnock, a longtime pastor, also won in that election cycle and is now finishing out the late Sen. Johnny Isakson\u2019s term. Indicative of Georgia\u2019s highly competitive political landscape is the fact that Warnock and Walker both ended 2021 as two of the top Senate fundraisers in the country. Warnock was, however, number one nationwide in the last quarter, amassing $9.8 million and reporting a monster sum of $23 million in cash on hand.<\/p>\n<p>Walker has nevertheless been edging out Warnock in polls, but the race is angling to be a tight one considering Walker\u2019s lead has stayed within the polls\u2019 margins of error.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Nevada, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) appears to be one of Democrats\u2019 most vulnerable incumbents heading into the midterms. She will likely face Trump-backed Adam Laxalt, who formerly served as the state\u2019s attorney general. One indicator of Masto\u2019s vulnerability lies in a recent\u00a0<em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u00a0poll that\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/03\/11\/poll-republicans-take-9-point-lead-hispanics-more-than-double-black-support-27-percent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">found<\/a>\u00a0Republicans lead Democrats by nine points with Hispanic voters. The\u00a0<em>New York Times<\/em>\u00a0detailed that Masto\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/03\/11\/us\/politics\/nevada-latino-voters-republicans.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">began<\/a>\u00a0her campaign strategy in 2022 in part by targeting Nevada\u2019s Hispanic population, which\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/state-rankings\/hispanic-population-by-state\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">makes up<\/a>\u00a0a little under a third of the state\u2019s total population. The clear gains Republicans have made with that voting bloc serve to endanger Masto\u2019s reelection chances considering she appears to be planning to rely on Hispanic voters.<\/p>\n<p>The state\u2019s primary takes place June 14, and polling has so far shown mixed results for both Laxalt and Masto.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Arizona, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Second only to Warnock in fundraising in the last quarter of 2021 was incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a former astronaut who banked $8.9 million according to his last financial report. The Republican who will undertake challenging the well-funded Arizona Democrat is somewhat unclear in the early stages of the primary, which takes place August 2, but election integrity is likely to be a top topic for candidates.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19903938\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AZ-Sen.-Mark-Kelly-.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-19903938\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AZ-Sen.-Mark-Kelly-.jpg\" alt=\"Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., right, accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., left, speaks at a news conference following a Democratic policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (AP Photo\/Andrew Harnik)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sen. Mark Kelly speaks at a news conference following a Democrat policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 8, 2022. (AP Photo\/Andrew Harnik)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>After 2020, concerns over the election results dominated headlines in Arizona, and Trump has since found himself at odds with state leaders as he continues to contest the results, which showed he lost by less than half a percent. One such leader, Gov. Doug Ducey (R), whom the\u00a0<em>New York Times<\/em>\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/02\/13\/us\/politics\/mcconnell-trump-primaries-midterms.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">detailed<\/a>\u00a0as McConnell\u2019s preferred candidate, recently ruled out running.<\/p>\n<p>Attorney General Mark Brnovich (R), who is running, won a high-profile U.S. Supreme Court case last year upholding a\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/07\/01\/scotus-upholds-arizona-ban-on-ballot-harvesting-and-out-of-precinct-voting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ban<\/a>\u00a0on ballot harvesting, but Brnovich has still come under pressure from Trump for not doing more to pursue Trump\u2019s claims of election fraud in Maricopa County. Billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel is throwing his weight behind Brnovich challenger Blake Masters, a venture capitalist and president of Thiel\u2019s eponymous foundation.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Wisconsin, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sen. Ron Johnson (R-MO) is pursuing reelection in Wisconsin with the backing of Trump. Democrats have until the August 9 primary to determine the candidate best equipped to unseat Johnson, and there are many to choose from at this stage. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D) currently stands out as a frontrunner as he is leading in polls and boasts endorsements from prominent Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).<\/p>\n<p>While Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020 by less than one point, advantageous to Johnson are Biden\u2019s national approval, which has been deeply underwater for months, along with Gov. Tony Evers\u2019 (D) baggage from Kenosha riots in 2020 and a horrific parade massacre in Waukesha this year allegedly carried out by a man with a long criminal track record. Evers is also up for reelection and\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/12\/03\/report-wisconsin-michigan-among-eight-governor-races-shifting-toward-republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">considered<\/a>\u00a0one of the most vulnerable governors in the midterms.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>New Hampshire, Toss-up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The primary in the Granite State is still six months away, slated for September 13, and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) has yet to see a clear Republican opponent emerge. The best-known potential challenger, Gov. Chris Sununu (R), decided at the end of last year to instead run for reelection as governor, despite encouragement from McConnell and other national Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), according to a Fox News\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/new-hampshire-sununu-decision-2022-senate-run-next-week-or-so\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">report<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Republican candidates at this stage include Army veteran Donald Bolduc, who\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/06\/26\/after-serving-his-county-for-36-years-this-retired-army-general-now-wants-to-serve-in-the-senate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">served<\/a>\u00a0multiple tours in Afghanistan and ran for Senate in 2020, state Sen. Chuck Morse, and Londonderry Town Manager Kevin Smith.<\/p>\n<p>The GOP has targeted Hassan\u2019s seat as a pickup opportunity that is especially ripe given Hassan\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Maggie_Hassan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">won<\/a> her race in 2016 by the narrowest Senate race margin in the country, 0.1 percent, or about 1,000 votes.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Missouri, Lean Republican<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Former Gov. Eric Greitens (R), a retired Navy SEAL, has been\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thetrafalgargroup.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/TRF-MO-GOP-Sen-Poll-Report-0228.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leading<\/a>\u00a0in Republican primary polls ahead of the August 2 primary race. The Missouri Republican is an outspoken ally of Trump and reinforced his allegiance to the president last fall when he\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/09\/21\/exclusive-greitens-the-u-s-senate-doesnt-just-need-more-fighters-it-needs-new-leadership-when-republicans-reclaim-the-majority\/?utm_medium=email&#038;utm_source=ncl_amplify&#038;utm_campaign=20220228-icymi_exclusive_greitens_the_us_senate_doesnt_just_need_more_fighters_it_needs_new_leadership_when_republicans_reclaim_the_majority&#038;utm_content=ncl-nQeVJMHSVg&#038;_nlid=nQeVJMHSVg&#038;_nhids=V1vvSpDw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">declared<\/a>\u00a0in a Breitbart News op-ed that he would not support McConnell as Senate GOP leader should Greitens be elected. Candidates trailing Greitens have pointed to scandals that plagued his tenure as governor,\u00a0including\u00a0a sexual assault charge that was ultimately dropped in court but still prompted him to resign from office in 2018 because of what he\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Investigations_of_Missouri_Governor_Eric_Greitens,_2018\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">described<\/a>\u00a0as an \u201cincredible amount of strain\u201d on his family.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7349141\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Eric-Greitens.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7349141\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Eric-Greitens.jpg\" alt=\"Eric Greitens\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens speaks during a visit to the St. Louis City Fire Academy, February 8, 2017, in St. Louis. (AP Photo\/Jeff Roberson)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The primary field is packed with other Republicans, including Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), whom Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is supporting; Attorney General Eric Schmitt, whom Cruz is supporting; Rep. Billy Long (R-MO); and Mark McCloskey, who famously appeared with his wife as armed homeowners amid Black Lives Matter protests and riots.<\/p>\n<p>The winner of the GOP primary appears to be headed for a race against Marine veteran Lucas Kunce or former state Sen. Scott Sifton, the two best-funded candidates in the Democrat primary.<\/p>\n<p>While RealClearPolitics rates the general election here as \u201clean Republican,\u201d Cook Political Report, another election analysis outlet,\u00a0<a class=\"x5l\" title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/ratings\/senate-race-ratings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rates<\/a>\u00a0it \u201csolid Republican.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Florida, Lean Republican<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has so far been outraised by his likely Democrat challenger, Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), who reported the third-highest Senate fundraising haul behind Warnock and Kelly last quarter. Rubio has however continued to dominate the race in polls. Once a presidential contender and target of Trump\u2019s mockery in 2016, Rubio now finds himself endorsed by Trump in his bid for a third term in office.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19718418\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AP260525331912.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-19718418\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AP260525331912.jpg\" alt=\"Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., arrives for a campaign rally in Hialeah, Fla., Wednesday, March 9, 2016. (AP Photo\/Paul Sancya)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio arrives for a campaign rally in Hialeah, Florida, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. (AP Photo\/Paul Sancya)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Benefitting Rubio is Florida\u2019s reddening trajectory. The Sunshine State, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), became a mandate-free respite in the face of nationwide Democrat-led coronavirus mandates over the past two years, and now, for the first time in history, Republicans have\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/11\/05\/ron-desantis-republicans-make-history-overtaking-democrats-florida-voter-registration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">surpassed<\/a>\u00a0Democrats in voter registration.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Ohio, Lean Republican<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The latest polling here has businessman Mike Gibbons out in front in the GOP primary for this open seat, with former state Treasurer Josh Mandel in second place and author J.D. Vance either tied for second or in third place. Former Ohio GOP chairwoman Jane Timken and state Sen. Matt Dolan \u2014 two establishment forces \u2014 are also in the hunt but down in fourth and fifth place in polling. Whoever wins the primary will likely face Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) in the general election to succeed retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).<\/p>\n<p>Trump won this state by wide margins in both 2016 and 2020, and the reddened nature of Ohio bodes well for whoever wins the GOP nomination. However, the Buckeye State is still a battleground state and Democrats seek to take this one if they can in November.<\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Colorado, Lean Democrat<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) could face any of a handful of Republican candidates running in the June 28 primary, including Olympian and former local GOP chair Eli Bremer, businessman Joe O\u2019Dea, real estate developer\u00a0<a title=\"This external link will open in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/01\/22\/exclusive-republican-gino-campana-baffled-by-bidens-foreign-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gino Campana<\/a>,\u00a0state Rep. Ron Hanks, or radio host Deborah Flora.<\/p>\n<p>Colorado is a tough state for Republicans to win in statewide in any cycle, but they have done it before in recent history as now former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) showed. If 2022 ends up being a big red wave year, this one could swing towards the GOP in the home stretch, but do not expect it to be easy as Bennet is likely to have the backing of significant national Democrat forces and finances.<\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">Disclosure: Breitbart News is represented by Cooper &#038; Kirk, PLLC.\u00a0Adam Laxalt is a partner at Cooper &#038; Kirk. He is not actively engaged or working on any matters for Breitbart News.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><em>Write to Ashley Oliver at <a href=\"mailto:aoliver@breitbart.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aoliver@breitbart.com<\/a>. Follow her on Twitter at <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/asholiver\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@asholiver<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thirty-five Senate seats are up for grabs in November, but 11 of them could determine which party controls the Senate in the next Congress. Republicans need to gain a net<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1382327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1382327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382327\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1382327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1382327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1382327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}