A Discussion on the Outlook for the U.S.
Senate ...1 of 1 >
|
 |
Sept. 9, 2014 - With eight weeks
to go until Election Day, the executive directors of the Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee and the National Republican Senatorial
Committee participated in a discussion moderated by The Washington Post's Reid Wilson
and organized by Center Forward, a group which seeks to encourage and
advance centrist
solutions. Thirty-six
Senate seats are up in 2014, 21 held by Democrats and 15 by
Republicans. Republicans need a net gain of six seats to gain
control of the Senate, and observers increasingly are predicting they
will achieve that goal.
|
 |
NRSC executive director Rob
Collins said he was generally pleased with
where Republicans find themselves. He said that
candidates haven't "blown up" as several did in 2012 and that "all of
our incumbents are in pretty good shape." Collins said geography
and
history favor the Republicans, if one looks at the seats that are up in
2014 and one considers President Obama's low popularity. "The
fundamentals have always been with us," Collins said; the question was,
"could we find good candidates?" He pointed to four candidates
under 40 years old, eight candidates under 55, and four female
candidates [Joni Ernst (IA), Terri Lynn Land (MI), Monica Wehby (OR)
and Shelley Moore Capito (WV)]. Collins also said that although
the
NRSC will be outspent, it will have enough money to do its job.
He concluded by stating that while local issues and details matter,
ultimately the national picture will tip the Senate to the Republicans.
|
 |
DSCC executive director Guy
Cecil noted that 2014 will be the third election cycle in which
Republicans have sought to take back the majority. He said that
turnout and "a map that is dominated by Republican states" pose
challenges for the Democrats. Cecil said that much as Republicans
try to play up national themes and tie candidates to President Obama,
voters ultimately will be choosing between two candidates on their
ballots. He said Democrats hope to counter their midterm turnout
problem by investing resources in a strong ground operation.
"There are real issues at stake," Cecil said. "It won't just be a
referendum on one person [Obama]."
|
 |
Both Cecil and Collins seemed to
agree on the need for some kind of campaign finance reform. Cecil
said that in some races only 25-percent of the ads aired come from the
campaigns while the rest is from outside groups whose ads are
overwhelmingly negative. "The system we have now is broken,"
Cecil said. "The only people that are benefitting are the people
who own the TV stations," he said.
|
| back > |
 |
 |
www.dscc.org
|
www.nrsc.org
|
"Committed to
Keeping a Democratic Majority in the Senate"
The top rotates between four different graphics:
-"Be a part of the Grassroots Victory Project!"
-"The GOP is addicted to Koch!"
-"Meet the 2014 Democratic Majority!"
-"Stand with President Obama...Contribute Today to Help Support His
Second Term Agenda"
The "Action Center" highlights five issues:
-Demand Republicans Raise the Minimum Wage
-Support Unemployment Benefits
-Reverse Citizens United
-Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform
-Denounce the Republican War on Women
|
"Building a New
Senate"
This site is much less cluttered than the DSCC
site. There are four articles down the center, each anchored by a
photo, and the Twitter feed down the right side.
-9 Reasons A Republican Wave Is Coming
-Gardner Dominates First Debate Against Udall
-Pssst...They Voted For It [immigration reform]
5 Broken Promises From Mark Udall
|
DSCC Finances
Total Receipts
$103,488,289
Total Disbursements $73,349,122
Cash on Hand
$31,949,127
|
NRSC Finances
Total Receipts
$76,492,014
Total Disbursements $53,244,550
Cash on Hand
$26,628,253
FEC Jan. 1, 2013 to
July 31, 2014
|
DSCC organization
|
NRSC organization
|
|
