Carper retirement opens fourth Democrat Senate seat, further endangering Schumer's majority

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Just the News

 

Four Democratic senators are not seeking reelection so far this election.

The retirement Monday of long-time Delaware Sen. Tom Carper will force Democrats to defend at least four open Senate seats in 2024 and further complicates Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's effort to retain his party's razor-thin majority.

 

While Delaware is a liberal state in which Democrats are likely to retain the seat in 2024, having to defend four will further spread the party's resources, including cash, creating opportunities for the GOP in other states.

"Senate Democrats keep retiring because they know they are going to lose the majority," NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell said after Carper's retirement announcement. 

The other three Senate Democrats to have officially announced their retirement so far this year are California's Dianne Feinstein, Maryland's Ben Cardin and Michigan's Debbie Stabenow. 

While California and Maryland will almost certainly remain Democrat, the GOP sees opportunity in Michigan, a swing state, considering Republican Donald Trump won there in his successful 2016 presidential bid. However, in 2020 he lost to Democrat Joe Biden roughly 51-48%.