Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) is confident Republicans are on track to hold at least 52 seats in the Senate after the midterm elections, predicting the party even has a chance to gain a 55-seat majority in November.
The comments from Scott, who is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, mark a shift in confidence compared to other top Republicans in the Senate, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who conceded last month that the battle for control will be “really close either way.”
MIDTERMS 2022 LIVE: UPDATES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AHEAD OF CRUCIAL ELECTION
“It starts right here, we’re going to get 52 Republican senators, we have to win here,” Scott said during a campaign event with Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) in North Carolina on Thursday. “I think we can get 53, 54, 55. The energy is on our side. People are fed up with the Biden agenda.”
Democrats also are confident, as Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said last month that his party could control 52 Senate seats after the midterm elections. However, the party may face an uphill battle as polls indicate voters are likely to vote for GOP candidates.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The increase in Republican support is partly due to economic concerns and rising inflation topping voter concerns, with 44% of voters saying those were the most important issues facing the country, according to a recent New York Times–Siena College poll. Of those who are most concerned with the economy, a majority of voters favor Republicans (64%) over Democrats (30%) to handle the issue.
Democrats hold a 20-point advantage among voters who rate any other issue as their top concern.
