How do we select candidates for Senate elections who will likely win?
Starting with the 2024 elections:
The following seats flipped:
- Arizona (D) – Ruben Gallego was an incumbent Representative.
- Montana (R) – Tim Sheehy had no prior experience, he’s a veteran.
- Ohio (R) – Bernie Moreno had no prior experience, he is a businessman
- Pennsylvania (R) – David McCormick was a high ranking official of the Bush administration
Now for 2022:
- Pennsylvania (D) – John Fetterman was the incumbent Lieutenant Governor
In 2020:
- Alabama (R) – Tommy Tuberville was a football coach.
- Arizona (D) – Mark Kelly is an astronaut and husband of Gabby Giffords.
- Colorado (D) – John Hickenlooper was a former Governor
- Georgia (D) – Jon Ossoff is a journalist.
- Georgia (D) – Raphael Warnock is in Dr. King’s pulpit.
In 2018:
- Arizona (D) – Kyrsten Sinema was a US representative.
- Florida (R) – Rick Scott was a former governor.
- Indiana (R) – Mike Braun was a state representative.
- Missouri (R) – Josh Hawley was the attorney general.
- Nevada (D) – Jacky Rosen was a US representative
- North Dakota (R) – Kevin Cramer was a US representative
In 2016:
- Illinois (D) – Tammy Duckworth was a US representative
- New Hampshire (D) – Maggie Hassan was the governor
In 2014:
- Alaska (R) – Dan Sullivan was the State Natural Resources Commissioner
- Arkansas (R) – Tom Cotton was a US representative
- Colorado (R) – Cory Gardner was a US representative
- Iowa (R) – Joni Ernst was a State Senator
- Louisiana (R) – Bill Cassidy was a US representative
- Montana (R) – Steve Daines was a US Representative, his opponent was a state representative
- North Carolina (R) – Thom Tillis was the speaker of the State House
- South Dakota (R) – Mike Rounds was a former governor
- West Virginia (R) – Shelley Moore Capito was a US representative running against the Secretary of State
Basically, if you want to flip a seat, you want someone with experience.
Three main issues are going to be heavily debated in the next election:
- Immigration
- relationship with Israel
- Ukraine War
We need senators who are going to reset our relationship with Israel, support Ukraine completely, and are in favor of immigration reform.
There are at least six open senate seats next year, here are the candidates I want to see run in the seats which are currently held by Democrats, all of whom are incumbent US representatives:
- Illinois – Robin Kelly, incumbent US representative
- Michigan – Rashida Tlaib, incumbent US representative
- Minnesota – Peggy Flanagan, incumbent US representative
- New Hampshire – Chris Pappas, incumbent US representative
In terms of the seats I think we can flip, here is who I want to see run:
- Alaska – Mary Peltola, former US representative
- Iowa – Zach Wahls, incumbent state senator
- Kansas – Laura Kelly, former governor
- Maine – Ryan Fecteau, incumbent US representative
- Minnesota – Peggy Flanagan, incumbent US representative
- North Carolina – Valerie Foushee, incumbent US representative
- Ohio – Joyce Beatty, incumbent US representative
- Texas – Joaquin Castro, incumbent US representative
With this slate of candidates I believe we can retake the Senate next year with excellent candidates.