Here Are the 3 States That Will Decide Control of the Senate

Recent polling results show tight races in three battleground states may decide control of the U.S. Senate after November’s election.

Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada are getting a lot of media attention since the margin of leads in polls is razor thin. If Republicans hold their current seats and manage to flip one seat into the GOP column, they would regain control of the upper legislative body.

The Keystone State’s Senate race initially looked like the Trump-endorsed Republican, Dr. Mehmet Oz, would lose big to Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. The state’s lieutenant governor campaigned in the guise of “Lunchbox Joe” appearing at rallies and speaking events in his trademark uniform of shorts and a hoodie.

Fetterman suffered a stroke early in the campaign, though, which kept him off the campaign trail for a while, which Oz capitalized on. Republicans have made inroads with voters with their questions about the health of the Democratic candidate.

An NBC News reporter’s on-air remark about the difficulty Fetterman had following parts of their conversation has drawn criticism from other media. It also addressed what many observers notice, a perceived cognitive delay in processing information by the Democrat.

His camp insists that it is not uncommon for stroke survivors to have difficulty processing heard information, noting Fetterman is able to respond in a timely manner if questions are submitted with closed captioning.

Real Clear Politics shows Fetterman leading Oz by an average of 3.4 percentage points.

Georgia’s Senate race is between the incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and former National Football League star Herschel Walker.

The incumbent leads his Republican challenger by an average of 3.3 percentage points, which is within margins of error. Real Clear Politics calls the race a toss up, expecting a close race that will lead to a December 6 runoff election.

Decades of preaching at the church where Martin Luther King once preached have made Warnock a seasoned orator that will help him in Friday’s debate. The Democrat incumbent must overcome the high inflation experienced under the current Democratic administration. It may be too high a bar to clear in a state that has voted predominantly Republican before the 2020 general election.

Democrats gained control of the U.S. Senate after both Georgia Senate seats flipped to Democrats during that election.

Walker has been plagued by highly effective social media campaigns highlighting gaffes he has made over the years. His political standing was further hurt when a woman claimed Walker had urged her to abort their first child and paid for the procedure. The Republican, who has vocally opposed abortion without exception, denied the claim.

The outlook for Republicans hoping to take back the Senate seems a little brighter in Nevada.

Most of the poll results for the election show Republican challenger Adam Laxalt leading incumbent Democratic Sen. Catherine Masto by an average 1.7 percentage points.

Laxalt has name recognition from his former service as the state’s attorney general.

Masto is hampered by a struggling economy in a state where tourism drives the economy. High inflation and illegal immigration under the Biden administration have not helped her campaign. She is also dogged by the state’s Orwellian response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Much of the state’s economy was locked down, costing millions of Nevada residents jobs and income. In person church services were banned despite casinos and other large businesses being allowed to continue operating in person.