Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is warning that either party could take control of the Senate when the election takes place in November.
During an interview with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer, McConnell was asked how he plans to tilt the battle for the Senate in Republican lawmakers’ favor. The Senate leader admitted that Republicans are facing a “tough” challenge to maintain Senate control.
McConnell noted approximately eight battles for Senate seats that he compared to “a knife fight in an alley. They are tough challenges.”
He said, “What I’d tell you is this is a tough fight. It could go either way. We’re optimistic we can hold on.”
“This was always going to be a tough cycle for us,” the senator said, adding that there is “a lot of exposure around the country.”
While McConnell did not specifically reveal which Senate seats he believes are in great jeopardy, polls show that the seats up for grabs in Arizona and Colorado appear to be favorable for Democrats, according to The Hill.
Senate seats in Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, and Montana are also on the table. Based on current poll results, all of the states listed could possibly swing either way.
Although Republicans won the Senate majority in 2014 and still hold a 53-47 majority, the Democrats would only need a net gain of three Senate seats to gain control of the chamber if they win the White House, due to the vice president being able to break a tie. A net gain of just four seats could lead to a simple majority.
With Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden selecting Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as his running mate, the presidential race is gaining traction.
The Democratic and Republican National Conventions are set to take place this month. Due to the pandemic, conventions will look relatively different from previous years, but both parties are proceeding with alternative plans.
