Senate seats most likely to flip

[Geee]

The Hill:

The race for the Senate is heading into the homestretch as Republicans seek to maintain their grip on their slim majority.

 

Democrats must net four seats and retain the White House to regain control of the upper chamber. They are defending 10 seats while Republicans face a more challenging path, needing to defend 24 seats.

 

Here are the Senate seats most likely to flip:

1. Illinois -- Mark Kirk ®

 

Kirk’s seat is most likely to turn blue this cycle. President Obama won the state by double-digits in 2008 and 2012. He faces a formidable challenge from Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth.

 

Kirk has tried to capitalize on the workplace retaliation lawsuit against Duckworth when she served as head of the state’s Department of Veteran Affairs, but it has failed to gain steam and the GOP senator, known for making gaffes, is catching flak for calling Obama a “drug dealer in chief” in regards to the $400 million payment to Iran.

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Republican donors pour record cash into saving Senate

 

Outside groups supporting Senate Republicans had their biggest fundraising month ever, bringing in $42 million in August.

 

The stunning size of the cash haul by two groups with close ties to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is a perfect measure of the anxiety levels Republican donors are feeling about Democrats winning back the Senate this year.

“This is without a doubt the best single month of fundraising we have ever had for our groups, going all the way back to 2010,” said Ian Prior, communications director for both the Senate Leadership Fund super-PAC (which raised $28.2 million in August) and an affiliated non-profit One Nation (which raised $14.2 million).

 

“This is a testament to just how important it will be to keep GOP Senate majority in 2016,” Prior added, in a statement to The Hill on Wednesday.

 

The two groups have now raised $100 million for the cycle to date, according to Prior.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/294768-republican-donors-pour-record-cash-into-saving-senate