Senate GOP marketing campaign chair asks for extra assets to win massive battlegrounds

LAS VEGAS — Montana Sen. Steve Daines got here to Vegas with an ask: The chair of the Senate GOP marketing campaign arm needs extra money to show the chamber purple.

“We’ve bought a terrific map, the very best map in a decade,” Daines informed a crowd of a whole bunch on the Republican Jewish Coalition Summit, an annual gathering of Jewish group leaders, donors, and GOP politicians.

“Kamala Harris can’t do a lot of something effectively [but] they do know find out how to elevate cash,” mentioned Daines. “We want your assist to shut the fundraising hole,” he added, asking for donations.

Speaking to reporters after his speech, Daines broke down the Senate map as he sees it and described the hurdle standing between Republicans and victory.

“I’m involved,” admitted Daines throughout a roundtable with the press in Vegas. “We now have extra states in play than assets to cowl them,” he added merely.

Senate Democratic candidates have had a fundraising advantage over their GOP opponents all through the election cycle, however a wave of money that got here with Harris’ ascension to the highest of the ticket is flowing to down-ballot races, too. Earlier this week, the Harris marketing campaign transferred $10 million to Senate Democrats’ marketing campaign arm.

Even with that money, Democrats are dealing with a challenging Senate map as they attempt to defend their slim two-seat majority. Republicans have to internet simply two seats to cement the bulk, or one seat if former President Donald Trump wins the White Home, because the vice chairman casts tie-breaking votes within the Senate.

Republicans’ finest pickup alternatives are in three GOP-leaning states. In West Virginia, Montana, and Ohio, each statewide elected official is a Republican — aside from the Democratic senators whose seats are up this yr. In these states, Daines projected confidence, citing diminished ticket-splitting in U.S. elections.

West Virginia, a state that Trump gained with about 68% of the vote in 2016 and 2020, is already within the bag Daines believes. Democrats have additionally acknowledged the race is no longer in play with Democratic-turned-independent Sen. Joe Manchin retiring. Gov. Jim Justice, who made waves on the Republican Nationwide Conference by giving his speech alongside his canine, is anticipated to win.

Daines believes Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana are susceptible to an more and more polarized voters, which has been splitting their votes between Republicans and Democrats much less and fewer every cycle.

“It’s turning into more and more extra of a purple jersey, blue jersey form of end result,” mentioned Daines on the demise of ticket-splitting. “If that development continues, with Trump successful vital margins in these three purple states, it turns into tough for Jon Tester and Sherrod Brown to win the races.”

Daines can also be eyeing pickups in three states the place Democratic incumbents are retiring: Maryland, Michigan, and Arizona, although the Grand Canyon State’s retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is an unbiased who caucuses with the Democrats.

In Maryland, Daines acknowledged that the ticket-splitting development will probably be a problem for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. However Daines can also be optimistic that Hogan’s qualities may assist him overcome that barrier.

Daines believes the destiny of former Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan and Kari Lake in Arizona will probably be carefully tied to the result of the presidential race.

“President Trump’s consequence in Michigan — I feel these will probably be pretty, pretty near Trump’s quantity,” mentioned Daines. For Lake in Arizona, Daines believes her victory will probably be contingent on a barely bigger margin of victory for Trump. “Lake’s path to victory will probably be with President Trump, successful Arizona by in all probability 2, 3, even 4 factors,” mentioned Daines. “We’ll see the place Arizona goes.”

Daines additionally believes Republicans can decide up seats in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin, that are additionally presidential battlegrounds. In every of these states, Daines additionally described the races coming right down to razor-thin margins in races carefully tied to Trump’s destiny.

Even with all these pickup alternatives, Daines continues to be maintaining expectations low. “If anyone asks me, what’s my quantity going to be, I’ll let you know the bulk is 51,” he mentioned. “I gained’t venture any past that.”

David Bergstein, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Marketing campaign Committee, informed NBC Information in an announcement Friday that Democrats “are within the strongest potential place to defend our majority as a result of we’ve got higher candidates in each battleground state.”

“We now have battle-tested incumbents, formidable recruits, and a successful message — whereas Republican Senate candidates are affected by each day revelations about their lies, monetary scandals, and poisonous coverage agenda,” he added.