{"id":2358822,"date":"2024-10-24T08:40:01","date_gmt":"2024-10-24T12:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wake-up-with-the-washington-examiner-hopes-and-fears-driving-downballot-fights-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-10-24T08:40:33","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T12:40:33","slug":"wake-up-with-the-washington-examiner-hopes-and-fears-driving-downballot-fights-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wake-up-with-the-washington-examiner-hopes-and-fears-driving-downballot-fights-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Wake up with the Washington Examiner: Hopes and fears driving downballot fights &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"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\">30<\/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%2Fwake-up-with-the-washington-examiner-hopes-and-fears-driving-downballot-fights-washington-examiner%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=2358822&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>The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">political landscape heading<\/a> into \u2063the 2024 elections presents a complex picture for both major parties in the United States. Republicans are facing unforeseen challenges despite an initially favorable map, having struggled to regain \u2062the Senate in the past elections\u2064 and currently having concerns about their control over it. Polling indicates that incumbent \u200cSenator \u2062Ted Cruz (R-TX) is facing a tighter race than expected against his relatively \u2064obscure \u200dopponent, which reflects broader worries about several competitive Senate seats in states\u2063 like Montana,\u2062 Wisconsin, \u2062and Arizona.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, Democrats are demonstrating a renewed sense of optimism\u2062 about\u2062 potentially regaining the House of Representatives. Recent analysis shows that they are only a few seats away from taking control, with key battles \u200doccurring\u2064 in traditionally liberal strongholds. the 2024 elections \u200cappear to be \u200dcharacterized by uncertainty,\u2062 with both parties grappling with various \u200binternal and external dynamics that could \u200cinfluence the outcome.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Wake up with the Washington Examiner: Hopes and fears driving downballot fights<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1843869\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Senate shudders<\/h2>\n<p>Republicans weren&rsquo;t supposed to have to worry about watching a favorable map slip through their fingers again. They whiffed on taking the <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Senate<\/a> back from Democrats two years ago, and while they managed to seize the <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>House<\/a>, their time in control there has not gone to plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Things aren&rsquo;t looking as dire as the flame out of 2022 turned out to be, but there are creeping concerns that what should have been a Democratic drubbing in the Senate is going to be a marginal victory at best, Congressional Reporter <strong>Ramsey Touchberry <\/strong>wrote for us this morning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Days away from a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3197617\/pennsylvania-senate-race-shifts-toss-up-mccormick-casey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> prime opportunity<\/a> to retake the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3184147\/republicans-march-toward-senate-control\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> Senate majority<\/a>, Republicans are staring down a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3191485\/democrats-dominate-gop-fundraising-q3-battleground-races\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> reality<\/a> where they could still squander their shot,&rdquo; Ramsey wrote.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s angst heading into Election Day among Republicans, who are questioning how deep their bench will be &mdash; or if they&rsquo;ll even have control,&rdquo; he noted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A fight in Texas is emblematic of these concerns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. <strong>Ted Cruz <\/strong>(R-TX) isn&rsquo;t exactly on the ropes in his bid to hold his seat and fight off Rep. <strong>Colin Allred <\/strong>(D-TX), but he isn&rsquo;t running up the totals an incumbent Texas Republican would expect to see against a relatively obscure Democratic challenger. An Emerson College poll this week <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3199749\/ted-cruz-colin-allred-tight-senate-race-trump-harris-texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>showed<\/a> Cruz beating Allred by just 1 point &mdash; an outlier, to be sure, though his average 4- to 5-point lead in other polls is reminiscent of a tough fight to fend off <strong>Beto O&rsquo;Rourke <\/strong>in the same contest six years ago.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The problem for Republicans right now is that a surging Democrat who isn&rsquo;t likely to win in Texas is getting close to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-on-jan-6-hearings-i-demand-equal-time\/\" title=\"Trump on Jan 6 Hearings: I Demand Equal Time\">equal air time<\/a> as the GOP candidates going on offense in seven states they are poised to flip seats.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s contests started with Republicans looking to go on offense in seven states where Democrats, or independents who caucused with them, had to play defense. Sen. <strong>Joe Manchin <\/strong>(I-WV) acknowledged the near impossibility of retaining his seat and announced his retirement, all but ensuring one seat swap next year. The races in Montana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Arizona are all tight contests, though some are slipping out of the GOP&rsquo;s grasp.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They should take it back. It&rsquo;d be theirs to lose,&rdquo; GOP strategist <strong>Rick Tyler<\/strong> told Ramsey. &ldquo;But I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s in the bag for them.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>One reason a path to the majority isn&rsquo;t crystal clear is the poor performance of <strong>Kari Lake <\/strong>in Arizona. GOP strategist <strong>Barrett Marson <\/strong>told Ramsey the chances of Lake and Republicans beating Rep. <strong>Ruben Gallego <\/strong>(D-AZ) in that race are &ldquo;cooked.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;She&rsquo;s snatching defeat from the jaws of victory,&rdquo; Marson told Ramsey about Lake. &ldquo;She has grabbed on to the &lsquo;MAGA&rsquo; mantle and embraces it even tighter than a mama bear embraces her cub.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s not all bad news, though. <strong>Tim Sheehy <\/strong>looks like he&rsquo;s on a clear road to unseating Sen. <strong>Jon Tester <\/strong>(D-MT). Sen. <strong>Tammy Baldwin <\/strong>(D-WI) and challenger <strong>Eric Hovde <\/strong>are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/latest-polls\/senate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>trading leads<\/a> in Wisconsin, with Baldwin remaining the favorite despite her lead shrinking as Election Day approaches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Click <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3199495\/republicans-best-shot-retake-senate-majority\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>here<\/em><\/a><em>  to read more about the last-minute panic setting in for Republicans<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">House hopefuls<\/h2>\n<p>Republicans might be running low on energy, joy, and hope not just because Vice President <strong>Kamala Harris <\/strong>has been using those tones but because Democrats generally are soaking up the good vibes as they eye taking back the House.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats&rsquo; pangs of defeat two years ago were smoothed over by watching House Republicans devour themselves. A rocky start for then-Speaker <strong>Kevin McCarthy <\/strong>(R-CA) turned into a historically bad end and a brutal task for Speaker <strong>Mike Johnson <\/strong>(R-LA).&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Firebrands like Rep. <strong>Marjorie Taylor Greene <\/strong>(R-GA) continued to make life hard for Johnson, threatening to send him the way of McCarthy and take his gavel away.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The result?&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democrats<\/a> are feeling a renewed sense of &lsquo;calm&rsquo; and &lsquo;optimism&rsquo; about their prospects of<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/speaker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> taking back<\/a> the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> House<\/a> majority with only a matter of days until voters make their voices heard,&rdquo; Congressional Reporters <strong>Samantha-Jo Roth <\/strong>and <strong>Cami Mondeaux <\/strong>wrote this morning.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Only four seats are standing between Democrats and the speaker&rsquo;s gavel, and the race for the House majority hinges on specific areas in states outside of the presidential battleground map, specifically in New York and California,&rdquo; they wrote.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Relying on holding seats in the darkest blue parts of the country in a presidential election year is a tall task for Republicans. And Democrats know it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Without getting cocky but with some swagger &mdash; I have three words: Speaker <strong>Hakeem Jeffries<\/strong>,&rdquo; Jon Reinish, a Democratic political strategist based in New York, told our crew. &ldquo;The House was lost in 2022 in New York, and I think, two years later, it has a strong chance of being won. There&rsquo;s a lot of optimism.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>That optimism isn&rsquo;t just vibes, either.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;House Majority PAC has canceled planned buys in Nevada, Ohio, New Hampshire, Michigan, Kansas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, pointing to new confidence that their once-vulnerable candidates are appearing to be stronger in the final days of the election,&rdquo; Samantha-Jo and Cami wrote.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Click <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3201109\/democrats-increasingly-optimistic-house-takeover-2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>here<\/em><\/a><em>  to read more about why Democrats feel so good about their odds to win the House<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New from us&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/editorials\/3200929\/make-election-night-great-again\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Make election night great again<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3194691\/how-hezbollah-took-over-lebanon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>How Hezbollah took over Lebanon<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3195453\/2024-election-nebraska-voters-issues-abortion-social-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Election 2024: Here are the issues Nebraska voters care the most about<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/3201141\/epa-finalizes-lead-dust-standards-reduce-toxic-exposure-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>EPA finalizes lead dust standards meant to reduce toxic exposure for children<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3200959\/damaged-equipment-taiwan-prompts-house-republicans-letter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Damaged equipment sent to Taiwan prompts scathing letter from House Republicans<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In case you missed it<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3201278\/harris-trump-fascist-takeaways-cnn-town-hall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>This is what happens when one candidate accepts a debate and the other declines<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3200156\/north-carolina-republicans-back-trump-ditch-robinson-split-ticket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Trump is avoiding being tainted by Mark Robinson<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3200726\/trump-tucker-carlson-georgia-rally\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Tucker Carlson opened for<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3200726\/trump-tucker-carlson-georgia-rally\/\">  Trump<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">For your radar<\/h2>\n<p>Harris is leaving Pennsylvania to travel to Georgia, where she will appear onstage with former President Barack Obama for the first time since she became the party&rsquo;s nominee. The event will also feature Bruce Springsteen. Harris is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. before traveling to Texas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is campaigning in Durham, North Carolina, in the morning before traveling to Greenville for an event at 3 p.m. and a rally in Wilmington at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden is traveling to Phoenix, Arizona, at 3:50 p.m. He does not have any public events on his schedule.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will gaggle with reporters onboard Air Force One en route to Arizona.<\/p>\n<p>Trump will hold a rally in Tempe, Arizona, at 4 p.m. Eastern time before traveling to Las Vegas, where he will participate in another Turning Point rally at 10 p.m. at UNLV.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) is in Detroit, Michigan, to participate in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tv-network-ratings-drop-during-bidens-first-full-week-in-office\/\" title=\"TV Network Ratings Drop During Biden\u2019s First Full Week in Office\">town hall event<\/a> with NewsNation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1843869\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1843869\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wake up with the Washington Examiner: Republicans face Senate challenges again<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2702,"featured_media":2358826,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/presidential-transition-2024.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[43612,43613,17852,32076],"class_list":["post-2358822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-downballot-fights","tag-hopes-and-fears","tag-wake-up","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/presidential-transition-2024.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2358822","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\/2702"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2358822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2358822\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2358826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2358822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2358822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2358822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}