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WASHINGTON — The head of the Democrats’ official Senate campaign arm was bullish Sunday about the party’s chances of flipping the upper chamber in November.
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) argued that Republicans will be stymied by anti-Trump sentiment and lackluster candidate recruitment in key races, adding to the opposing party’s pickup opportunities.
“We have huge opportunities to flip the Senate because of President Trump,” Gillibrand told Marcia Kramer on CBS New York’s “The Point” Sunday. “Trump has created a very toxic environment that has hurt Americans across the board.”
Historically, the party in control of the White House has lost seats on net in the House of Representatives in all but two elections since 1938.
But the Senate has generally had mixed results during midterms, with the party in control of the White House sometimes gaining or losing seats throughout recent decades.
Still, Gillibrand insisted Democrats have a chance at flipping the four seats it needs to win the Senate, with the GOP’s current 53-seat majority and tiebreaker vote being cast by Vice President JD Vance.
The Empire State Democrat predicted that Republicans will face backlash in the 2026 midterm elections over tariffs and the war in Iran, as well as from larger affordability concerns.
“These strong candidates, really strong candidates that Democrats have recruited to run, have a chance of flipping red and purple states across the country,” Gillibrand said. “We think we can win North Carolina and Maine and Ohio and Alaska.”
Republicans have to defend 22 Senate seats compared to the Democrats’ 13 in the midterms. But the bulk of those seats — 20 — are rated somewhere between lean and solid Republican by the Cook Political Report.
Both Ohio and Alaska are rated “lean” Republican by the Cook Political Report, and incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has famously survived tough reelections in the past, defying polls.
Democrats are also dealing with a nasty primary fight for the Maine Senate seat between Gov. Janet Mills (D) and oyster farmer Graham Platner.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R).
Gillibrand noted that there are also “four longer shot races” her party is eyeing: Texas, Iowa, Florida, and Mississippi.
“The map has 11 states on it right now. I am optimistic we can deliver the four we need to flip the Senate,” she said.
“It’s because of Trump’s toxic agenda, our strong candidates that are formidable and represent their state, and then really huge recruiting failures on the Republican side, looking at Texas, for example.”
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