(Nov. 4. Note: This ran the day before the election. The final result is 53 GOP senators, including McCormick.) No matter who wins the presidency, a significant Republican majority in the Senate will be the best safeguard for our constitutional system.
The explanation for this systemic imperative is a bit complicated, so first, let’s understand the lay of the land.
Toward that end, from among a number of excellent Republican challengers for Democratic-held Senate seats, David McCormick in Pennsylvania and Mike Rogers in Michigan look from a distance like particularly worthy candidates in tight but eminently winnable races.
Others who aren’t as well-known commodities also seem to offer solid chances both to win and to serve with distinction, among them Sam Brown in Nevada and Eric Hovde in Wisconsin. Hung Cao in Virginia has a more uphill battle but has mightily impressed this observer, and Larry Hogan is a mensch fighting longer odds in Maryland.
In Ohio, challenger Bernie Moreno has nearly even money chances of upending progressive Democrat Sherrod Brown, who is insufferable….
Now, why should the partisan makeup matter? Is this column a plea for voters to elect Republican Senate candidates across the board? No. For example, there are plenty of conservatives who believe Republican Kari Lake, in an otherwise winnable race in Arizona, would bring discredit to her state, her party, the Senate, and her country. Her multiple controversies, just Google them, should make her anathema.
Nonetheless, constitutionalists should consider it essential for as many as possible of these other GOP contestants to win their elections. This also means that for the millions of voters who are thoroughly unenamored of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris but who intend to vote for her anyway in order to stop Republican Donald Trump from returning to the White House, it would be advisable for them to consider partisan ticket-splitting. In other words, even if they vote for the Democrat for president, they should vote for the Republican for Senate.
Here’s why….. [The full column is here.]
