Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions is running unopposed for a fourth term in the United States Senate this year, and is well positioned to become Senate Budget Chairman if Republicans manage to re-take the majority.
Republicans need to pick up six seats to takeover the Senate. With far more Democrats facing challengers, 2014 represents the GOP’s best chance to take back the upper chamber.
Polling data suggests Republicans could have the upper hand.
A CNN poll back in December found that Republicans had opened up a 49 to 44 lead over Democrats on a generic ballot. That’s an enormous swing from a mere two months before when Democrats led the same poll 50 to 42. Republicans also hold the enthusiasm advantage. 36 percent of Republicans say they are enthusiastic about voting for Congress, compared to just 22 percent of Democrats.
Sen. Sessions told inside-the-beltway publication The Hill over the weekend that he’s optimistic about the GOP’s chances to wrest control away from their Democratic counterparts.
“I’m more optimistic because I sense there’s a growing frustration with the Democratic Senate and the president’s political maneuverings and lack of candor,” said Sessions.
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, agreed with Sessions’ analysis.
“Republicans are well positioned to win the majority in the Senate; we have strong candidates, have expanded the map into purple and blue states, and the national political environment is strongly in our favor,” Moran added.
Open seats in South Dakota, West Virginia and Montana should be relatively certain pickups for Republicans, meaning seizing control of the senate will come down to taking out Democrat incumbents in GOP-leaning states like Arkansas, Alaska, North Carolina and Louisiana. New Hampshire could also become a toss up if former Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown jumps in the race. He recently moved to the Granite State.
Republican’s got another boost last week when former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie announced he is challenging Virginia Democrat Sen. Mark Warner.
Virginia is about the closest thing America has to a 50-50 state, but Democrats have won several high profile races there recently. President Obama got 51% of the Virginia vote in 2012 and Democrat Terry McAuliffe defeated Republican Ken Cuccinelli by the slimmest of margins in last year’s Virginia gubernatorial election.
Ultimately, Alabama stands to gain about as much as any state in the country if Republicans gain control of the U.S. Senate.
In addition to Sessions being in line to take over the Budget, Alabama’s senior Sen. Richard Shelby would likely head up the powerful Appropriations Committee with the GOP in charge.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
