Michigan’s Senate race was changed to “50-50” on Thursday by a top nonpartisan political prognosticator, who cited ongoing concerns about President Biden and his candidacy as a potential “stumbling block” for Democrats.
of Cook Political Report The Senate elections were changed from “Democrats ahead” to “close race,” increasing the risk that Senate Democrats will lose their majority in the next Congress.
The seat is currently held by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who will retire at the end of her term.
Blumenthal says concerns have ‘deepened’ after meeting with Biden campaign advisers
Biden continues to face calls from Democrats to drop out of the race. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The race was already intensifying with the loss of Democrats’ incumbency advantage, but it has intensified further with former President Trump’s performance in battleground states.
The state’s senatorial primary will be held on August 6, leaving just a few months until the general election campaign.
Democratic senators help block Biden judicial nominees amid controversy over transgender prisoners
Rep. Elissa Slotkin is running for the Democratic nomination for Senate. (Getty Images)
On the Democratic side, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who famously flipped a Republican-dominated district in her state when she was elected to Congress, is seen as the front-runner for the nomination. She will face actor Hill Harper in the primary. Harper is currently considered an underdog, but has made great efforts to appeal to Michigan’s large Arab population and to contrast her with Slotkin, particularly on the issue of Israel and the terrorist group Hamas’ war on Gaza.
Battleground Democrats Tester, Kaine skip Biden campaign meeting amid growing concerns about 2024
Harper is challenging Slotkin in the primary. (Willie San Juan/InVision/AP)
Republicans have some options: Former Rep. Mike Rogers is the front-runner and has Trump’s endorsement, but he still must beat two challengers, businessman Sandy Pensler and former Rep. Justin Amash.
As internal party turmoil continues, Democrats in battleground states feel on edge after Biden debate
Rogers has been endorsed by President Trump. (AP Photo/Paul Sancia)
Click here to get the FOX News app
Regarding why Cook changed his assessment of the race, analyst Jessica Taylor wrote, “Following Joe Biden’s debate performance two weeks ago, many Democrats’ concerns have shifted from whether the president will be re-elected (a trend that is declining) to whether he will drag down lower-ranking Democrats.”
A Fox News poll in April, months before Biden performed poorly in the debates, showed Trump winning the presidency 49% to 46%. In April 2020, before Biden flipped battleground states, Biden was polling 49% to 41% over Trump.
Get the latest 2024 election campaign updates, exclusive interviews and more on Fox News Digital’s Election Hub.
