Proxy Warfare: The US Senate Race in Massachusetts May Get Ugly, But Not Serious
Nobody who even remotely follows politics expects US Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s reelection bid—her first showdown since taking office in 2013—to be awfully captivating, or even close. Our state’s senior senator in DC enjoys strong approval ratings and, perhaps more significantly, has passionate, enthusiastic supporters. Coupled with the fact that midterm elections often amount to a referendum on the sitting president—and that they tend to be kind to the party out of power—it doesn’t take a soothsayer to see that the seat’s set to safely remain in the hands of the Democrats.
But that doesn’t mean the race won’t get messy.
In many ways, Warren’s reelection campaign represents the first leg of the 2020 presidential election. Not that the senator is certain or even likely to seek higher office at this point, but whether or not she eventually makes that decision isn’t important. What’s worth watching is the perception of her as a potential top contender, one who regularly draws the wrath of the national GOP.
In the most immediate sense, Warren’s seat is one that Democrats can’t lose. Never mind the thought of beating GOP contenders up and down the board in the November elections; if the Democrats can’t manage to hold Massachusetts, whatever limited influence they still have on critical debates will be severely weakened. Because if Warren loses, it will almost surely be a symptom of a trend rattling all throughout the country.
It’s clear that Democrats have had a string of wins since the crushing defeat of 2016. They’ve won in places that defined President Donald Trump’s victory—in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as in the deepest of red states, including Alabama. And they’ve consistently outpolled and outpaced Republican voters halfway through the 2018 primary process. Broadly speaking, 2018 looks good for liberals. But when it comes to the Senate, there is a factor that is completely out of the party’s control: the map.
Read more: https://digboston.com/proxy-warfare-the-us-senate-race-in-mass-may-get-ugly-but-not-serious/