Republicans bet their Senate majority on Trump

[DonViejo]

Candidates in the most competitive races insist they’ll welcome the president to their states with open arms, despite his unpopularity nationally.

By BURGESS EVERETT and KEVIN ROBILLARD 03/19/2018 05:00 AM EDT

His approval rating is perpetually underwater, and the pandemonium surrounding his presidency only grows the longer he’s in the job.

But Senate Republicans are nevertheless making a counterintuitive, all-in bet that President Donald Trump will save their 51-49 majority — and perhaps even help them pick up a few seats.

Even as fears grow within the GOP that Trump will cost Republicans the House, Senate Republicans say the president will play a starring role in the closely contested campaigns that will decide control of the chamber. Trump will be front and center in every state that helped elect the president, according to GOP senators and strategists, making the case that Democrats are hindering his agenda.

“If you look at a race in a state like Missouri or North Dakota — or any of these states — he’ll be very involved,” said Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, chairman of the GOP’s campaign arm, who speaks with Trump about political strategy regularly. “He’ll be actively campaigning for a Senate majority. Absolutely.”

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/19/donald-trump-republican-senate-majority-2018-midterms-467193

[mucifer]

1. That tells me they are planning on shutting down Mueller.

[annabanana]

2. or they have faith that the Russians have "got this" at

the ballot box.

[mucifer]

5. Oy vey

[NewJeffCT]

3. With the Senate map being horrible for Democrats

it's been called the worst in history, if Republicans don't pick up at least 5 seats in the Senate, it should be considered a miserable failure by the GOP and a huge repudiation of Trump. Of course, the media will say that if the Democrats don't win the majority in the Senate, it's a big victory for Trump...

[annabanana]

6. This is the gerrymanders spot? More so than the House?. . .n/t

[Buns_of_Fire]

8. Since Senate races are statewide, gerrymandering isn't a factor. nt

[dsc]

10. No it is a function of how well we did in 2006 and 2012

We won a ton of Senate seats in those years and now have to defend them. Add in the fact that both PA, WI, and OH went from Obama states to Trump ones (Ohio bigtime) and we have a very bad map. The only state in which Hillary won that they have to defend is NV, conversely we have to defend in MO, IN, OH, PA, WI, WV, FL, Montana all of which Trump won. edit forgot ND.

[NewJeffCT]

11. No

the problem is that even low population red states like Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Idaho, Montana and Alaska get two senators.

Yes, there are low population blue states, but of the 16 least populated states, I think 10 are red states, 2 are swing states (Maine and New Hampshire) and 4 are blue states (Delaware, Vermont, Rhode Island and Hawaii). So, that is 20 senators for 10 states whose total combined population is less than California.

And, remember that in 2014, Jeff Sessions ran unopposed for US Senate in Alabama. Not one Democrat in that state bothered to challenge him.

[annabanana]

9. ah

yup

Repubs really don't have to spend anything on Senate races. Clearly they've got the lock.

[DeminPennswoods]

4. Extra motivation for Dems will be the result

I'd expect.

Trump campaigned for Saccone in a district that gave Clinton 38% of its vote and it didn't help elect Saccone. Not only did he not help Saccone, Trump's entire kooky speech was spent on talking about and praising himself! Saccone was like a wooden prop standing on stage with him. Trump campaign rallies for other Rs aren't going to be any different than the one he held for Saccone.

[ananda]

7. They're stuck with him and they're trying to put a spin on it.

The generic ballot has the Dems ahead by double digits.

[poboy2]

12. Republicans are apparently all blackmailed or traitors, which is not mutually exclusive. -nt

[beachbum bob]

13. lol....mcconnel is wishful thinking as the blue tidal wave builds

and when trump fires mueller, even more massive defeats for republicans at every level.

[BSdetect]

14. They want to be ready to block and obstruct any Dem president.

That may be tricky if most of the GOP leadership is in prison.