Democrats need 5 seats for Senate control, and they may get them
WINDHAM, N.H. — This was always going to be a tough year for Republicans to retain control of the US Senate, based simply on the numbers: They are fighting to defend 24 of the 34 seats up for grabs. But then Donald Trump burst onto the scene, sinking Republican prospects even further with his divisive rhetoric over race, immigration, religion, and gender.
Now, political analysts say Democrats are clinging to their chance of gaining the five seats they need to reclaim the chamber after two years amid signs that Republican candidates from New Hampshire to Nevada are still paying a price for Trump’s many controversies.
Specialists who track Senate races say the latest news that the FBI is reviewing e-mails that may be related to Hillary Clinton’s use of a private server is having a marginal effect on races down the ballot — so far.
The fallout could worsen for Democrats if the presidential race continues to tighten or Trump surges into a lead in the final days before next week’s vote. Republicans are hopeful that Democrats may be hurt by the FBI’s revived interest in the e-mails as well as by the continuing release of other e-mails hacked from the Clinton campaign and released by WikiLeaks. At the very least, the news is giving Republicans plenty of fresh ammunition.
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