Florida Senate Race

New Hope For Democratic Senate Gains In “Red” States Texas And Florida

The Democratic Party has 47 seats in the US Senate, and with a growing chance to regain the majority.

The hope is that they can gain at least four seats and become the majority.

The two strongly “Red” states of Texas and Florida now are seen as adding to the potential of Democratic majorities in the Senate, and maybe more than just four seats.

Texas polls indicate James Talarico is leading Jasmine Crockett, and the thought that he might be able to win the Democratic nomination, with his “liberal” Christianity view, and a more measured personality than Crockett. This gives hope that he might defeat Senator John Cornyn, or his leading rival in the Republican primary, State Attorney General Ken Paxton.

And now, great news that the state of Florida will have a real race for the US Senate, instead of appointed Senator Ashley Moody having the likelihood of no major challenger.

Former Army Lieutentant Colonel Alex Vindman, who served on the National Security Council under President Donald Trump, announced his candidacy for the Democratic Senate nomination, giving real hope for a possible gain of a Senate seat in the Sunshine State.

Vindman resigned after revealing that Trump tried to bribe Ukrainian Persident Volodymyr Zelenskyy to give “dirt” on Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, leading to the impeachment of Trump by the House of Representatives, although not convicted by the Senate.

Potential For More African American Senators In 118th Congress (2023-2024)

The potential exists for the US Senate in the 118th Congress to have more African American members than ever before.

Altogether, there have been eleven African American Senators in American history, with three serving for the first time in 2017 when Kamala Harris joined the Senate, adding to Tim Scott and Cory Booker.

Raphael Warnock became the third serving at the same time, replacing Harris, who became Vice President in 2021!

Now, with Scott and Booker in the Senate, and Warnock running for reelection against another African American, former football player Herschel Walker, at least three African Americans will serve in the next Congress.

But there are others who are running for election to the Senate, including:

Congresswoman Val Demings of Florida against Senator Marco Rubio

Charles Booker of Kentucky against Senator Rand Paul

Cheri Beasley of North Carolina against Congressman Ted Budd

Mandela Barnes of Wisconsin against Senator Ron Johnson

So there could, in theory, be SEVEN African American Senators in the 118th Congress, if fortune worked out!

Two Key Republican Senators To Defeat In November: Ron Johnson And Marco Rubio

Two key Republican Senators who are targets to be defeated in November’s Midterm Elections are:

Ron Johnson of Wisconsin

Marco Rubio of Florida

Both have served 12 years in the Senate, and both have horrendous records, but the battle to retire them will not be easy.

Johnson defeated twice the outstanding Democratic Senator, Russ Feingold, a major tragedy, and he has been a “loose cannon’ and a total Trump supporter, including refusal to reject the “Big Lie” that Trump won the election, and to acknowledge Joe Biden as President.

His most likely opponent is Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who is African American, 35 years old, and would be a refreshing addition as a progressive reformer to the US Senate.

Rubio has demonstrated that he is ultimately interested in running again for the Presidency as he did in 2016, making clear he does not appreciate being a Senator, and seeing it only as a stepping stone. After saying he would not run again in 2016 for his Senate seat, he changed his mind and ran and won again. But he has shown lack of courage and conviction and his willingness to kowtow to Donald Trump, who insulted him immensely, but now he continues to back the former President and his “Big Lie”.

His opponent will be Congresswoman Val Demings, who is African American, 65 years old, with a long career in law enforcement, and head of the Orlando, Florida Police Department, before serving in a Central Florida Congressional seat since 2017. She has been inspirational as a speaker and advocate for progressive reform.