Republicans appear poised to capture a majority in the U.S. Senate during next month's general election, according to latest polling from The New York Times and Siena College.
GOP candidates currently lead key Senate races in Montana, Texas, and Florida as the party looks to reclaim the upper chamber of Congress, The New York Times and Siena College survey results show Thursday.
Montana Democrat Sen. Jon Tester trails Tim Sheehy, a wealthy Republican businessman and a former Navy SEAL, by 8 percentage points (52%-44%). Sheehy is helped by former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris by 17 percentage points in the state.
The Times/Siena poll found that 55% of likely Montana voters say they would prefer that Republicans control the Senate, compared with only 37% who prefer Democrat control.
Also, Harris is viewed unfavorably in the state by 60% of likely voters, who say they trust Trump more than her on every issue tested, including the economy, immigration, abortion, democracy, and helping the working class, the survey found.
In Texas, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is ahead of his Democrat Rep. Colin Allred 48% to 44% in his bid for a third term. Trump is ahead by 7 points in the Lone Star State.
In Florida, Republican Sen. Rick Scott holds a sizable 49%-40% lead over Democrat Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Trump leads by 13 points in the Sunshine State.
At least seven other Democrat-held Senate seats are competitive this fall, including in the presidential battlegrounds of Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin, the Times/Siena poll results show.
Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, and Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., who caucuses with the party, has announced he's retiring.
The party appears to have scarce opportunities to flip any GOP-held seats in 2024 to make up for any potential losses.
In Montana, Texas, and Florida, the Times/Siena poll found that men favored Republicans by a wider margin than women favored the Democrat candidates.
Immigration was tied with the economy as the most pressing issue for voters in Montana, while it fell behind the economy as the most important issue for voters in Texas and Florida.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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