WASHINGTON DC - Did you know that Illinois is a Republican-leaning state? That's sort of what the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee says it is, despite being controlled by Democrats in the legislature. In a map of the 2016 U.S. Senate races they hope to win Democrat seats in during the next election, the DSCC includes "purple" Illinois.
"Democrats have a great chance to reclaim the Senate majority in 2016," the DSCC writes in an e-mail. "Why? It’s simple math."
- The Senate map favors Democrats. Republicans are defending 23 seats in 2016, while Democrats are defending just 10.
- Many Republican senators are very vulnerable. Republican will be defending seats in six states that President Obama won in both 2008 and 2012. Democrats must win just four of these six to take back the Senate!
- The 2016 electorate skews Democratic. Since there will be a strong Democratic Presidential candidate at the top of the Democratic ticket, groups that tend to vote Democrat will turn out in higher numbers.
"Mitch McConnell’s agenda for a Republican Senate is absolutely disgusting," the DSCC writes. "He’s already pledged to prioritize rolling back abortion rights and pick the Affordable Care Act -- Obamacare -- to pieces."
"Meanwhile, the Koch brothers and Karl Rove are already gearing up their right-wing money machine, ensuring that the Republicans running for Senate and President will be as well funded as ever," the email says. "If we fall behind early in the game, the Republicans will gain insurmountable momentum."
Illinois' U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, a Republican, will be one of the senators up for re-election in a state where Barack Obama won in 2008 and 2012.
