The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has revealed plans to invest tens of millions in the re-election campaigns of Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. The strategic move aims to fortify the Democratic Party’s slim majority in the upcoming November elections. The DSCC intends to allocate substantial funding, in the form of eight figures, towards ground game efforts in these two states, both of which strongly supported former President Donald Trump in 2020.
In an official statement, DSCC Chair Gary Peters of Michigan outlined the focus areas for the funding, including “field organizing,” “field training programs to increase volunteer capacity,” “data and analytics,” “voting access and protection,” and “building meaningful outreach to communities of color and specific constituencies.” Peters emphasized the importance of sustained grassroots organizing as a foundation for winning challenging races.
The Cook Political Report has categorized the Senate seats of Tester and Brown, along with independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema, as “Toss Up” for the 2024 elections. The decision by Democratic Senator Joe Manchin to retire has shifted his seat to “Solid R,” making it crucial for Democrats to defend their majority by winning other contested seats.
Both Tester and Brown face a challenging scenario, particularly with the likely presence of Trump at the top of the ticket alongside President Joe Biden, who lacks popularity in these states. Trump secured victories in Montana and Ohio in 2020 by 16 and 8 points, respectively.
On the Republican side, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRCC) has actively recruited candidates for the 2024 elections, including former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy for Montana. The NRCC has taken a neutral stance in the Ohio GOP primary, where multiple prominent Republicans are competing for the nomination to challenge Brown.
The Montana primary may witness a contest between Sheehy and Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale, who is contemplating a second bid against Tester. Polling suggests Tester’s vulnerability against both Republicans. In Ohio, the GOP primary features candidates like Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, state Sen. Matt Dolan, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Polling indicates varying degrees of vulnerability for Brown against different Republican contenders.