Republicans in the House of Representatives have done such a wonderful job pushing America forward (can you see my eyes roll), with all their zero job bills and their constant vacations – they’re on vacation now by the way – that grateful Americans just can’t wait to give them control of the Senate too.
Seriously!
According to new polling by The Washington Post, Republican’s chances of taking control of the Senate have risen to 72 percent, the highest level yet in the almost six months that The Upshot’s forecasting model has been tracking the race. The odds rose from 68 percent on Monday and from a low of 50 percent last month.
The main cause of the latest shift is new polling in Kansas, which suggests the race is now a true tossup rather than a race in which the Republican, Senator Pat Roberts, is a slight underdog. Our latest forecast gives Mr. Roberts a 52 percent chance to win in November, making the race between him and Greg Orman, an independent candidate, essentially a coin flip.
As outside money has poured into the state over the past month, Kansas is emerging as one of the most competitive Senate races of 2014. The Democratic candidate, Chad Taylor, quit the race in early September, and Mr. Orman’s chances then spiked. Mr. Orman has said he would caucus with the majority party if he won, converting a sure Republican seat into a possible pickup opportunity for Democrats.
