Sen. Steve Daines, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, expresses confidence in his party's ability to recapture Senate control in November, acknowledging concerns over fundraising gaps but citing favorable election map and policy contrasts.
Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, chair of the Senate Republicans' campaign committee, has made a definitive statement that his party will regain control of the chamber in the November elections.
"We will win the Senate majority," Daines asserted in an interview with Fox News Digital at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership meeting in Las Vegas.
Daines Predicts GOP Senate Majority Despite Fundraising Disparity
Democrats currently hold a razor-thin 51-49 margin in the Senate, but Republicans see an advantageous election map this year, with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs.
"Fifty-one is the number that we want to get to. Clearly, there’s an opportunity to get beyond that, but 51 is the number we’ve got to get to," Daines said.
Daines Predicts GOP Senate Majority Despite Fundraising Disparity
Key Republican targets include West Virginia, Montana, and Ohio, all states where Trump won comfortably in 2020. Democrats are also facing challenges in battleground states such as Wisconsin, Nevada, Michigan, and Arizona.
Despite the favorable map, Daines expressed concerns about the GOP's fundraising gap compared to Democrats. Democrats have outraised and outspent Republicans in the battle for the Senate majority and have made larger ad reservations for the final two months of the campaign.
Daines Predicts GOP Senate Majority Despite Fundraising Disparity
"It's a concern of mine," Daines admitted. "There are winnable races right now that we may not be able to bring across the finish line because of lack of resources."
Daines emphasized the need for financial support from donors to address the funding disparity. "We have the right candidates. Let’s get them the resources they need to win," he told the Republican Jewish Coalition crowd.
Daines Predicts GOP Senate Majority Despite Fundraising Disparity
One advantage that Daines sees is the replacement of President Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. "This now gets us laser-focused on policy," Daines said. "This is going to be a policy contrast election."
Daines believes the policy differences between the Trump and Harris administrations will benefit Republicans in key Senate races. "Two very different administrations – very different outcomes," he said. "That contrast, we think, will be very helpful for us."
Overall, Daines remains optimistic about the GOP's chances of reclaiming the Senate majority. "We are literally two months away from the most consequential election of my lifetime," he said. "That’s why we’re working very, very hard to make sure we’re ringing that alarm bell to get to donors."
Democrats, however, are also confident in their ability to maintain control of the Senate, citing their strong fundraising position and the popularity of President Harris. The outcome of the midterm elections will likely depend on a combination of factors, including the fundraising gap, the quality of candidates, and the national political environment.
