The Capitol plaza is seen as automatic spending cuts are set to take effect on March 1, in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013.
J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Democrats are facing challenging terrain as they try to hold onto their Senate majority in 2014 and prevent Republicans from gaining full control of Congress in President Barack Obama's final two years in office.
Democrats must defend 21 seats, including seven in largely rural states that Obama lost last fall. And four Democrats have announced plans to retire. The latest was Carl Levin of Michigan. A fifth Democratic retirement could come soon from South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson.
Democrats control 55 seats in the Senate, meaning Republicans would need to pick up six seats next year to recapture the majority for the first time since 2006.
Republicans are eyeing several races in states carried last year by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
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If Republicans took control of the Senate in 2015 it would not be a 60 seat majority so grid-lock would remain. With Obama using his veto pen, and continuing to appoint czars, employ recess appointments, and throw out presidential decrees we will More..
If the Republicans want to take control of the Senate, they'll have to put forward better candidates than they did last time.
Second, if they do manage to take control, they will learn what it is like to get all their proposals More..
To the Skeptical....
First of all, better candidates don't always win. Besides, the term better is subjective anyway. Deceptive campaign practices of the opposition often effect election results. We saw that in the presidential More..