CDZ 13 Senate races to watch in November

[rightwinger]

Republicans hold a two vote majority but Dems have to run perfect to pick up two seats

13 Senate races to watch in 2018

The fundamental nature of this year's Senate map puts Republicans in a position of fairly low risk. Of the 35 Senate seats that are up for election this year, Democrats (and the two Dem-aligned independents) hold a whopping 26 of them, to only nine seats for the Republicans. Furthermore, 10 seats are held by Democrats in states carried by President Trump in 2016, while only one Republican is from a state carried by Hillary Clinton.

 

[rightwinger]

Nevada: Sen. Dean Heller (R) vs. Rep. Jacky Rosen (D)

This is the one Republican-held seat in a state Hillary Clinton won in 2016 — making incumbent Sen. Dean Heller the number one target for Democratic hopes to make gains. Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen is focusing on Heller's vote last year in the unsuccessful push to repeal the Affordable Care Act, after he had previously indicated his opposition to the GOP's quest to kill ObamaCare.

 

[rightwinger]

Texas: Sen. Ted Cruz (R) vs. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D)

This state has not elected a Democratic senator since 1988, with the re-election of centrist incumbent Lloyd Bentsen (who was simultaneously running for vice president on the ticket with presidential nominee Michael Dukakis — and they lost that race both in Texas and nationally). Still, lots of wags are focused on this race, thanks in part to Cruz's personal unpopularity. (Texas Republicans are trying to drive up O'Rourke's negatives, as well — though possibly with some mixed results.)

 

[rightwinger]

Arizona (open seat): Rep. Martha McSally (R) vs. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D)

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who has become a very public critic of the Trump administration, announced his retirement at a time when polling showed that he would likely lose in a primary challenge from right-wing former state Sen. Kelli Ward. Instead, the Republican primary in August was won by Rep. Martha McSally, an Air Force veteran, who easily defeated Ward. The Democratic nominee is Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, who has touted her rise from poverty and childhood homelessness to graduating from college and serving in Congress.