Mary Lou Masters
Senate Democrats’ campaign arm is set to spend tens of millions on reelecting Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio as the party seeks to defend its slim majority in November, Politico reported Monday.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) will drop eight figures into ground game efforts in the two red states that went for former President Donald Trump in 2020 by large margins, according to Politico. The DSCC’s funding will go toward field training, recruiting and organizing volunteers, compiling data, voter outreach and more.
“[The DSCC’s] investments in sustained, effective grassroots organizing will lay the groundwork for our campaigns to win tough races,” Chairman Gary Peters of Michigan told Politico in a statement.
Both Tester and Brown’s seats are characterized by The Cook Political Report as in the “Toss Up” category for 2024, along with independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who caucuses with the Democrats. Since Democratic Sen. Joe Manchindecided to retire, his seat was changed to “Solid R,” meaning Republicans only need to win one other seat in November to gain a majority.
Tester and Brown are in a tough position, as Trump is likely to be on the top of the ticket with President Joe Biden, who is not popular in either state. In 2020, Trump won Montana and Ohio by 16 and 8 points, respectively.
The Senate GOP’s campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRCC), has recruited candidates in several red and battleground states for 2024, including former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy for Montana. The NRCC is remaining neutral in the Ohio GOP primary, where several prominent Republicans are vying for the nomination to take on Brown.
Sheehy could face Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana in the primary, who is considering a second bid against Tester after losing by 3.5 points in 2018. Polling suggests Tester is vulnerable against both Republicans, according to FiveThirtyEight’s compilation, with the most recent survey finding the senator up by only 4 points against Sheehy.
Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, state Sen. Matt Dolan and Secretary of State Frank LaRose are all running in the GOP primary in Ohio. Polling for this race indicates Brown is more vulnerable against some Republicans more than others, according to FiveThirtyEight’s compilation, with the most recent survey finding the senator up by 11 points against Moreno, 5 points against LaRose and 3 points against Dolan.
The DSCC did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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