I had a briefing today from new DSCC leadership...

[brooklynite]

21 Democratic seats to protect

Top tier races are Tester (MT), Brown (OH) and Manchin (WV)

Second tier are Baldwin (WI), Rosen (NV), Casey (PA) and Sinema (AZ)

MD at risk if Cardin retires and Hogan runs

Looking at Cruz (TX), Scott (FL) and Hawley (MO) as potential targets

[riversedge]

1. Plus we need to protect the Office of the Presidency.

[MagickMuffin]

2. Why is Sinema on the list, she's no longer a Democrat?

She has become an independent, unless she’s changed her mind.

[Sky Jewels]

4. I think maybe it's the seat, not the person (?). I could be wrong though.

[brooklynite]

5. For the same reason Sanders and King are on the list

She's still part of the Democratic Conference.

[quaint]

3. Really hard for me to get excited about Manchin and Sinema, but I get we have to support them.

[brooklynite]

6. DSCC fully expects to have a Primary in AZ

[Bettie]

40. Will they be supporting Sinema in that primary?

Since she was the one they listed.

[Genki Hikari]

61. The turncoat can't run in the Democratic primary

In Arizona, only official party members can do that.

Or that's my understanding.

Should have applied the same principle to the national elections. Would have saved us a great deal of grief and foolishness.

[Maggiemayhem]

31. WV Governor Jim Justice has repeatedly said he is considering running against Manchin for US Senate.

A Justice win would be a Republican seat in Senate.

[quaint]

51. At least as a Californian, I don't have to vote for him.

[RandySF]

7. Well that sounds daunting.

[liberal N proud]

8. Brown is a must hold

[Lonestarblue]

9. Cruz is a shoo-in for Texas so probably not worth spending money.

I doubt Beto will challenge him again, and Republicans have also passed voter suppression laws to make it harder for Democrats to vote. They have also been courting Hispanics in border areas with Republican community centers and non-stop propaganda. Plus, these same communities, most of them poor, are tired of dealing with the constant influx of migrants and the negative effects they have on their communities. Republicans promise to fix the problem. Of course, they won’t but they’ll get elected on empty promises.

I don’t know how popular Hawley or Scott is, but their states seem rabidly Republican, especially Florida.

[rubbersole]

43. Scott is a world class piece of shit.

I'm in Florida and his 11 point plan to get rid of SS and Medicare are perfect fodder for attack ads. After the midterms put Lil Marco back for 6 years, my optimism for any Dem in a statewide race is waning. But with desantis on the ballot there could be hope. tfg and our nazi governor attacking each other could be gold for a good candidate.

[Deep State Witch]

44. Castro Brothers

I'd like to see one of the Castro twins challenge Cancun Cruz. I think that either of them would succeed where Beto did not.

[Genki Hikari]

62. Then it had better be Joaquin

Julián has never won anything other than San Antonio mayor.

Joaquin's political machine wins--and it's been winning for a long time now, both the state legislature and US Congress. I don't think Joaquin has been out of office since he first won election in 2003 (someone from TX correct me if I'm wrong).

His problem is that he's never run state-wide before, and that's a way different election from running in safe SA districts. But he's still a more seasoned campaigner than Julian.

Don't get me wrong--I like Julián. I just don't think he has the election moxie to get it done.

[markodochartaigh]

45. "...especially Florida."

Literally 15% of all the Black adults in Florida are felons. The voters voted to allow ex-felons to vote, but the Republican state government found a way (not letting ex-felons vote until they have paid their fines, and then making it very difficult to find out how much they owe) to keep them from voting. Unless Democrats can find a way to enforce the will of the people I think that Republicans will hold Florida.

[Ray Bruns]

10. Screw Sinema. With friends like her, who needs republicans

[brooklynite]

11. IF Sinema wins the D Primary she has to be supported...

...we can't afford to lose her vote for Majority Leader.

[LiberalFighter]

15. I agree. Need a strong candidate to run against her in the primary if there is a chance.

If she runs.

[Autumn]

16. Are there no Democrats that can run against her?

[Elessar Zappa]

18. Yes, there will be.

Probably Ruben Gallego.

[Autumn]

20. Yet DSCC leadership according to the OP is supporting her.

[Elessar Zappa]

21. I don't think that's correct.

I think they’ll stay out of the primary since Sinema’s no longer a Democrat.

[Autumn]

28. According to the OP she's a second tier seat to protect.

[Elessar Zappa]

29. Maybe that's assuming she wins the primary?

In any case, I’ll be supporting her opponent in a primary.

[calimary]

42. I would, too, if I lived in her state.

I’d want a Democrat I can count on.

I already DO want Democrats I can count on.

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. Agreed. But I think a serious challanger would beat her in a primary n/t

[Just A Box Of Rain]

38. Has Sinema decided to run in the Democratic Primary?

My understanding was that she become an independent to avoid the Democratic primary as a way to be sure to be in the General election.

[irisblue]

12. The GOP will come hard at Sen. Brown, real hard

[LiberalFighter]

13. I would say in order of weakness it would be Hawley, Cruz, Scott.

They should be able to do a lot with Hawley running chicken and Cruz skipping the country.

[Tetrachloride]

14. Baldwin should be Tier 1 because Wisconsin could not defeat Ron Johnson

Otherwise, get a new DSCx

[brooklynite]

19. Barnes was not an Incumbent; Baldwin is.

Barnes was also, honestly, not a great candidate.

[Tetrachloride]

22. I agree regarding Barnes. Nevertheless

DSCC knew or should have known.

My point: in 2016 and 2022, i don’t believe that the Washington DC based operatives took Wisconsin seriously and that they will continue to do the same.

They knew and did what ?

[FakeNoose]

17. K & R Bookmarking

Thanks for this important info!

[CaptainTruth]

24. PLEASE target Scott!!!

[Hekate]

25. Kick!

[Raven123]

26. May be too soon to ask, but any comments about the ground game?

Really see Ohio as tough to hold. Seems to be glowing a brighter shade of red every election cycle

[yardwork]

27. Any talk about MI?

[Samrob]

30. Hogan is well respected in MD by both sides. Keep Cardin in for as long as possible.

Hogan also has some health issues and he may just want to stay home. Our second tier seem pretty safe except for Sinema. I believe Brown and Tester are ok. Manchin is shaky. He may decide to run as GOP, then what?

What does our bench-in-waiting look like? Any potential great GenZ sitting on the bench?

INMHO we need to spread the money around as much as possible and work hard on state and local elections, especially Governors.

Just my thoughts.

[Elessar Zappa]

32. I don't think Manchin will switch to the GOP.

If he did, he’d face a primary opponent who will be a far right maga who, it being West Virginia, would likely win.

[Maggiemayhem]

33. Agree but Hogan just said he is considering Presidential run. (Local tv)

[Samrob]

34. Well, that takes him out of the Senatorial race, maybe? nt

[PufPuf23]

35. What the hell happened in NY with Santos?

Given how tight margins are in Congress, why was Santos not a huge issue in the election?

Was there any discussion by DSCC leadership about what went wrong with Santos? There should be discussion.

Santos is in your backyard. Why didn't you warn DU?

Realize your post is talking about the Senate not the House.

Who does the DSCC favor to replace Feinstein?

[brooklynite]

54. Santos is a House Member. DSCC deals with Senate candidates.

Santos is in your backyard. Why didn't you warn DU?

Probably because Zimmerman didn't warn me?

[PufPuf23]

57. I noted that Santos House and your discussions were about the Senate

but thought the Santos issue might be a conversation topic.

Too bad Suozzi could not have been replaced by another Democrat and we lost the seat.

Santos ran unopposed in the GOP primary.

Zimmerman is pretty much a Conserva-Dem with multiple GOP ties.

Seems like we could have come up with a better candidate and made a better effort to retain the House seat.

Was there any chat about who the DSCC favors for Feinstein? Many Californians (me) are curious.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

36. Oof. When it's laid out like that, there are a lot of challenges.

Three Dems in states that Trump won, plus four others in 50-50 states. Florida is the only GOP seat that was close in 2020, and it went hard red in 2022.

I don't think MD will vote for a Republican, though. People seem to know the difference between federal and state races. It's okay to have a governor of the opposite party (as seen in KS, LA, VT, and recently MD and MA), but when it comes to control of Congress, that's something else.

[Deep State Witch]

49. People will vote for Hogan

Larry Hogan is very popular here in Maryland. He's seen as a sane alternative to the crazies. He would get a lot of crossover votes from whichever Dem ran. Unfortunately, the Republican party has been taken over by crazy-land. His hand-picked successor lost the primary to a guy backed by TFG. Hogan actually supported Wes Moore rather than Crazy Cox.

[JT45242]

37. All three of the rethug targets listed would be incarcerated in a just world

All involved in the insurrection and the big lie.

[lark]

39. r's hsve FL ted up with a bow, sickening as that is.

If Scott loses, he will just cheat and find a way to say he won with all the billionaires in FL behind him.

[elleng]

41. Darn, hadn't thought of hogan running for our Senate seat, if Cardin retires.

[Deep State Witch]

47. Larry Wants to Run

for President as the sane alternative to the crazies. Unfortunately, I don't think he'll get anywhere because the crazies are in control of the GQP.

[brooklynite]

55. His odds would be better with a Senate run. Don't assume a choice is made at this point.

[crazylikafox]

60. Marylanders love Hogan and will vote for him.

I hope we have a damn good candidate to run against him

[Fiendish Thingy]

46. Sinema should be off the list completely.

Tell your DSCC pals DU said so.

[bronxiteforever]

48. Thank you for sharing this! 2024 brings with it

many challenges to our campaign committees. I don’t envy the decision makers. I will support them even if it my little vote and contributions don’t amount to “a hill of beans” because I see no other choice. I just wish that a potential GOP victory wouldn’t bring with it a torrent of hate.
We have much to defend but many opportunities to highlight the positive and uplifting form of our party’s leadership that stands in stark contrast to the other side.

[KS Toronado]

50. I'd like to see a national policy or ground game

whatever you want to call it where we educate voters all the good reasons why they would be better off
voting a straight Democratic ticket instead of Putin and Fascists who want to destroy our Democracy.
Attack them as a group, they're all rotten. FQX and the like advertise 24/7 how terrible ALL DEMOCRATS
are, let's give them a taste of their own medicine.

[AllyCat]

52. Why are we protecting Sinema, who is not a democrat in name or deed?

[brooklynite]

53. Remind us who Sinema voted for for Majority Leader last week.

[AllyCat]

56. And yet she craps on everything for the rest of us.

There’s a reason she’s going “independent” and we prop her up our limited resources when other candidates can use the help.

[CBHagman]

58. Thank you for posting this.

I just got a donation request in the mail for Sherrod Brown, and he is definitely getting my support (though not my vote, because I no longer live in Ohio).

And I want to hear more about the strategy for the Senate. Among other things, we need to reach young adults and new voters of all kinds.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

59. Every day for the next 2 years the voters need to hear about the contrast between parties.