Welcome to the Midterms Minute 2022!

Today’s focus is on toss-up Senate races in Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and the other key Senate races leaning (precariously) Democrat or Republican.

The rating information below is based on Cook Political Report Senate ratings as of October 7th, 2022.

Short on time? Support ALL Democrats in key Senate races with one donation to the SwingLeft Hold the Senate Fund, or the SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund which supports all high-impact races (Senate and House) and is updated weekly.

HOLD! GEORGIA Toss-Up Senate Race:

(D Incumbent) Warnock vs. (R) Walker

Having defeated Republican Kelly Loeffler in 2020 during a special election, Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock - working on restoring the right to vote, helping Georgia farmers, and expanding healthcare access - is now defending his hard-earned seat against loose cannon, Trumper, and former NFL player Herschel Walker. Recently, news broke that Walker - who is staunchly against abortion rights - paid for an abortion for a woman he was involved with. (Obviously, Republicans do not care.)

TAKE ACTION: Support Warnock with a donation to SwingLeft's Georgia Senate Fund fund and/or sign up to volunteer for the campaign.

HOLD! NEVADA Toss-Up Senate Race: 

(D Incumbent) Cortez-Masto vs. (R) Laxalt

According to Ballotpedia, recent statewide Nevada races are won by 5 points or less, and the analysts say this one could come down to 2 points. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, the former Attorney General of Nevada, is trying to defend her Senate seat by focusing on abortion rights, the economy, law enforcement (too friendly), and healthcare. Her opponent, Republican Adam Laxalt is a lawyer from a big Nevada political family but has never held elected office. He claims Cortez Masto didn't support law enforcement enough after a police officer was injured during a protest after George Floyd's murder, then right afterward said he thinks the left is using the FBI as a political tool and can't support the agency. There are 3 others running for this seat (right-leaning Libertarians and Independents).

TAKE ACTION: Support Cortez Masto with a donation to SwingLeft's Nevada Senate Fund fund and/or sign up to volunteer with the campaign.

FLIP! PENNSYLVANIA Toss-Up Senate Race - OPEN (Prior R Incumbent):

(D) Fetterman vs. (R) Oz

This is a critical race. Pennsylvania's Democratic Lt. Governor John Fetterman is running for the Senate seat left open by Republican Pat Toomey (not seeking reelection). The unconventional Fetterman is focusing his campaign on the economy - tax cuts for working people and fighting corporate greed. His opponent is Republican "Dr. Oz", the former surgeon who used his national daytime TV show to push fake science and gimmicks as health information. He has never held political office and there are questions about whether he even lives in Pennsylvania (he seems to spend a LOT of time in New Jersey).

TAKE ACTION: Support Fetterman with a donation to SwingLeft's Pennsylvania Senate Fund fund and/or sign up to volunteer with the campaign.

FLIP! WISCONSIN Toss-Up Senate Race: 

(D) Barnes vs. (R Incumbent) Johnson

Biden took Wisconsin in 2020 with just 49.5% to Trump's 48.8%, so, this is likely to be a hard-fought race. Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes is Wisconsin's first black Lt. Governor and grew up in a poverty-stricken zip code where both parents had good union jobs that gave him a path to middle-class opportunities. He is focusing his campaign on creating more union jobs, protecting reproductive rights, and ending corporate handouts. Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Johnson's extreme anti-abortion views are well-known, which is why his sudden call for a state referendum on abortion as simply what it is: a political maneuver leading into the midterms. Johnson has said Jan. 6th insurrection was not an "armed insurrection" and in the same breath said the "protestors" taught us how to use flagpoles as weapons. He also wants to dismantle Social Security and calls all climate proposals "radical green energy policies."

TAKE ACTION: Support Barnes with a donation to SwingLeft's Wisconsin Senate Fund fund and/or sign up to volunteer with the campaign.

Key Senate Races Leaning Democrat

HOLD! ARIZONA: (D Incumbent) Sen. Mark Kelly vs. (R) Blake Masters (<- Bankrolled by Peter Thiel and endorsed by ALL the other worst people)

HOLD! COLORADO: (D Incumbent) Michael Bennet vs. (R) Joe O'Dea (<- Claims he's a "moderate", but would vote for Trump in 2024...)

HOLD! NEW HAMPSHIRE: (D Incumbent) Maggie Hassan vs. (R) Don Bulduc (<- Has flip-flopped TWICE on whether or not he denies the 2020 results)

Key Senate Races Leaning Republican 

FLIP! FLORIDA: (D) Rep. Val Demmings vs. (R Incumbent) Sen. Marco Rubio (<- "Little Bigot Marco" who got his ass handed to him by a Florida drag queen he singled out in a fear-mongering campaign ad)

FLIP! NORTH CAROLINA: OPEN - (D) Cheri Beasley vs. (R) Tedd Budd (<- Trump-endorsed and an election denier via avoidance)

FLIP! OHIO: OPEN - (D) Rep. Tim Ryan vs. (R) Jim Vance (<- Endorsed by Trump, Jim Jordan and more of the worst, also running a dishonest, inflammatory, dog-whistling campaign)

Remember: Voting is not enough. Check out our curated GOTV resources.