Democrats May Win Senate, But Hopes Dim for Anti-Trump Landslide
- Margin of Senate control may be slim, no matter who wins
- Even if Democrats take chamber, they face tough odds in 2018
Early-morning light begins to rise in front of the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 6, 2016, in Washington.
Photographer: Mark Wilson/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Democrats have a better-than-even chance of winning control of the U.S. Senate in November, thanks in part to a backlash against Donald Trump, but it won’t be as easy as they hoped.
Most Republican Senate candidates are running solid, well-financed campaigns focusing on local issues in their states and distancing themselves from Trump’s many missteps. Incumbents fended off challenges from the far right. And major Republican donors like the billionaire Koch brothers have been focusing their money on saving Senate seats after taking a pass on supporting Trump.