Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s decision to become the zillionth Democrat to join the 2020 presidential field was bad news for Democratic hopes to retake the Senate.
Democrats need a net gain of three seats to retake the Senate next year were they to win the presidency and gain a vice president who could cast the tie-breaking vote. Given that they’ll have to defend the Alabama Senate seat they gained in the special election against Roy Moore, most likely they’ll have to win four seats currently held by Republicans. And the pickings are slim, with just two seats up in states that President Trump lost in 2016.
Democrats were hoping that Bullock, who has won three statewide races in Montana, would come to the rescue, as he is the only potential Senate candidate who might put the state in play.
According to Politico, Democrats both nationally and at the state level have been begging Bullock to skip the no hope presidential bid in favor of a Senate run, but he sees himself as an executive and doesn’t just want to fade into oblivion in the Senate.
Bullock’s decision, for now, takes him out of the Senate race and without him, incumbent Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is expected to coast to reelection.
[Related: 2020 hopeful Bullock struggles to name accomplishment he’s most proud of]
