Republicans Eye Paths To Senate Majority, But Tea Party Poses Problems

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans count enough competitive races to challenge Democrats for control of the Senate in the 2014 elections, if only they can figure out what to do with the tea party.

Crowded primaries in states such as Georgia, Iowa and North Carolina, where tea partyers and social conservatives are fighting for the nomination and pushing candidates farther right, worry many Republicans, especially after they saw their legitimate shots at a Senate majority slip away in 2010 and 2012.

Republicans need a net gain of six seats to capture control from Democrats, who effectively hold a 55-45 advantage now. But Democrats will be defending 21 of 35 seats to be decided in November, and President Barack Obama is looking like a major drag for them. Midterm elections are often tough for a president's party in any event.

"History is with us, geography is with us and the president's signature legislative achievement is the most unpopular" law of his tenure, Rob Collins, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said of Obama and his health care overhaul.

Republicans inside and outside the Senate speak confidently about snatching open seats in West Virginia and South Dakota. They like their chances against Democratic incumbents in Republican-leaning Arkansas, Louisiana and Alaska and remain upbeat about Montana even if Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock names Lt. Gov. John Walsh to succeed Sen. Max Baucus, Obama's choice for U.S. ambassador to China.

MORE...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/29/republicans-senate-majority_n_4515335.html

[demigoddess]

1. republicans eye path to senate majority,

house majority, and the presidential office. Their aim is to dictate their desires onto all americans whether we agree or not. They aim for a one party government permanently. Isn't that what the Soviet Union was all about???

[Purveyor]

2. Write letters of support to your local teabaggers and encourage them to be even more outrageous

come 2014!!!

We need them...

[Nobody You Know]

3. The Republicans can forget about a Senate majority.

The major problem lies with the House, and it'll be a clean sweep, despite the gerrymandering problem.

Kentucky will be an surprise blue state due to the motor voter law that comes with Obamacare - right now we have registered over 6 million new Democrats and more is being churned by the hour thanks to the signups.

I think the Senate will sustain, and even grow - because there are real Americans that are truly tired of the do-nothing Congress and the Republicans will remind them of that when they challenge the debt ceiling again this February and lose again.

[grantcart]

4. Welcome to DU and thanks for reminding me about that other feature of ACA

which most people aren't aware of - voter registration.

This year is a tough year for Democrats in the Senate but this is the last chance for the Republicans as 2016 and 2018 will be very difficult for them because the number of seats they have to defend and where those seats are. Also the next GE should be a disaster for the Republicans.

[Nobody You Know]

5. Yes, that is an important feature, in my opinion, that the Democrats has successfully preserved

from Republican sheningans - because it'll show the high popularity of the Obamacare, and these people will want 'in' after proving Republicans so wrong within the next few months.

[blkmusclmachine]

6. The Tea Party used to be part of the Constitution Party, yes?