Senate Democrats face a potential wave of retirements.
With 23 seats to defend, compared to 10 for Republicans, the Democratic majority is at risk, especially if incumbents choose not to run again.
Dems Worry Over Potential Retirements in Senate
Sen. Debbie Stabenow is a member of the Democratic leadership. She recently announced her retirement, which has been met with surprise by strategists. This is due to her close alliance with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer.
Other senators who have yet to announce their plans include:
- Sen. Joe Manchin
- Sen. Jon Tester
- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema
All three represent states where Republicans will take chances in the 2024 elections. Tammy Baldwin’s re-election is expected soon, though she hasn’t made an announcement yet. Sherrod Brown’s re-election bid could help Democrats keep the Ohio seat.
Mike Berg from National Republican Senatorial Committee says they are “aggressively targeting” an open Michigan Senate seat… forcing democrats to play defense there.
Matt Grossman is a professor of political science at MSU. He predicts that the next Senate elections will be a competitive race in the coming years.
Moreover, Manchin is one such Senator to watch as he mulls over his reelection prospects for 2024… given that West Virginia went for former President Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Sen. Jon Tester’s seat is being viewed as another critical GOP pickup opportunity. He won his last three races by single digits against Republican opponents.
In Pennsylvania, there are questions about what Sen. Bob Casey’s recent prostate cancer diagnosis might mean past 2024. Though Republicans lost the Senate race in November… they will be looking at this seat as an opportunity to regain it.
Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin faces a competitive senate race if she chooses to run again. Both parties are vying for control of the swing state after Biden won it by less than a 1% margin… and Ron Johnson narrowly won reelection last year.
Senate Democrats Dig In Their Heels on Abortion Access
Senate Democrats gathered outside the Supreme Court to mark what would have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and decry Republican actions to limit or block abortion access.
Majority Leader Charles Schumer condemned GOP attempts at a federal level. This includes Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill… which would ban all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, as “un-American.”
“On Sunday, what should have been the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, America mourned instead,” Schumer said. “We mourn that millions of women and girls now have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. We mourn the loss of individual freedom. We mourn the loss of a woman’s right to choose.”
The House recently passed its first abortion-related bill – the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. It requires that infants born after attempted abortions receive medical care.
Other Democratic lawmakers spoke out against logistical and financial burdens placed on women seeking abortions due to state legislation.
