Republicans fear two key Senate races are slipping from their grasp as CNN reports party operatives and officials now say North Carolina and Georgia look less winnable than they once did.
CNN said in more than a dozen interviews with campaign officials, senators and operatives that some Republicans are growing worried those two states “are slipping from their grasp,” pointing to changing polls and concerns about candidate strength in both contests.
The two races named by CNN center on North Carolina, where Republican nominee Michael Whatley is running for an open seat, and Georgia, where Republican Rep. Mike Collins will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November; CNN’s reporting identifies those contests as the ones GOP operatives singled out.
Political handicappers have already shifted their ratings. The Cook Political Report moved several Senate contests toward Democrats this month, including changes affecting Georgia and North Carolina, a reclassification followed by outlets tracking race ratings.
Analysts and party officials told CNN that money, polling and candidate controversies are influencing Republican worries; for Georgia, outlets have noted Democratic fund-raising advantages and for North Carolina, polling has shown the Democratic candidate ahead in multiple releases cited in coverage of the races.
Why it matters: Republicans hold a narrow Senate majority, and losing both seats would widen Democratic paths to control; the Cook Political Report and other forecasters have been moving seats as late fundraising and polling change the map.
Campaign strategists interviewed by CNN described the concerns as part of a broader GOP effort to shore up turnout and messaging in competitive states, while noting that the races remain competitive and could shift again before Election Day.
Sources
- CNN — reported that “some Republicans are growing worried that two key Senate races once considered critical to holding their majority are slipping from their grasp” and named North Carolina and Georgia.
- Cook Political Report — published rating changes that moved multiple Senate races toward Democrats, affecting Georgia and North Carolina in recent updates.
- Axios — covered the Cook Political Report’s shifts and reported on which races were nudged toward Democrats in its latest analysis.
- Ballotpedia — provided candidate and nomination details confirming Mike Collins won the Georgia Republican nomination and Michael Whatley is the Republican nominee in North Carolina.
