[NB: check the byline, thanks. /~Rayne]
There’s just so much wrong right now in governance which could be fixed with 60 Democratic seats in the Senate.
We could pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, for starters, which would encode women’s reproductive rights and autonomous control of their bodies. This bill passed the House but not the Senate because of 50 GOP senators and 2 DINOs.
We could pass other needed legislation which has been throttled by the same 50 GOP senators and 2 DINOs, including the Build Back Better Bill.
We could expand the Supreme Court so that the total number of jurists would match the number of circuit courts.
We could institute term limits for Supreme Court justices so that retirements could be planned.
We could address the shortcomings of the Roberts’ Court ethical failings, from the lack of an ethics code, to Thomas’s refusal to recuse or resign, to the Trump appointees’ misrepresentations before the Senate Judiciary Committee during nomination hearings.
But none of these and other additional remedies can be addressed without at least 60 seated Democratic Senators.
These are the Class III Senators up for re-election or open seats this year:
| State | Class 3 | Cook PVI | Notes |
| Alabama | Richard Shelby (R) retiring, open seat | R+15 | Will Boyd (D) |
| Alaska | Lisa Murkowski (R) | R+9 | Non-Partisan Primary August 16, 2022 |
| Arizona | Mark Kelly (D) | R+3 | |
| Arkansas | John Boozman (R) | R+16 | |
| California | Alex Padilla (D) | D+14 | |
| Colorado | Michael Bennet (D) | D+3 | |
| Connecticut | Richard Blumenthal (D) | D+7 | |
| Delaware | — | D+6 | |
| Florida | Marco Rubio (R) | R+3 | Primary August 23, 2022 |
| Georgia | Raphael Warnock (D) | R+3 | |
| Hawaii | Brian Schatz (D) | D+15 | |
| Idaho | Mike Crapo (R) | R+19 | |
| Illinois | Tammy Duckworth (D) | D+7 | |
| Indiana | Todd Young (R) | R+11 | |
| Iowa | Chuck Grassley (R) | R+6 | Michael Franken (D) |
| Kansas | Jerry Moran (R) | R+11 | |
| Kentucky | Rand Paul (R) | R+16 | |
| Louisiana | John Kennedy (R) | R+12 | |
| Maine | — | D+1 | |
| Maryland | Chris Van Hollen (D) | D+14 | |
| Massachusetts | — | D+14 | |
| Michigan | — | R+1 | |
| Minnesota | — | D+1 | |
| Mississippi | — | R+10 | |
| Missouri | Roy Blunt (R) | R+11 | |
| Montana | — | R+11 | |
| Nebraska | — | R+13 | |
| Nevada | Catherine Cortez Masto (D) | Even | |
| New Hampshire | Maggie Hassan (D) | Even | |
| New Jersey | — | D+6 | |
| New Mexico | — | D+3 | |
| New York | Chuck Schumer (D) | D+10 | |
| North Carolina | Richard Burr (R) not seeking re-election | R+3 | Cheri Beasley (D) |
| North Dakota | John Hoeven (R) | R+20 | |
| Ohio | Rob Portman (R) | R+6 | Tim Ryan (D)* |
| Oklahoma | James Lankford (R) | R+20 | |
| Oregon | Ron Wyden (D) | D+6 | |
| Pennsylvania | Pat Toomey (R) | R+2 | John Fetterman (D) |
| Rhode Island | — | D+8 | |
| South Carolina | Tim Scott (R) | R+8 | Dem primary results pending |
| South Dakota | John Thune (R) | R+16 | |
| Tennessee | — | R+14 | |
| Texas | — | R+5 | ** |
| Utah | Mike Lee (R) | R+13 | *** Evan McMullin (I) has Utah Dems’ support |
| Vermont | Patrick Leahy (D) retiring, open seat | D+15 | Dem primary August 9, 2022 |
| Virginia | — | D+2 | |
| Washington | Patty Murray (D) | D+8 | |
| West Virginia | — | R+23 | |
| Wisconsin | Ron Johnson (R) | R+2 | Dem primary August 9, 2022 |
| Wyoming | — | R+26 |
light orange: needs assistance with defense
light yellow: winnable
light green: stretch but in range
* Ohio’s senate race is tied — within MOE depend on the poll. There is an independent candidate running as well who may act as a spoiler. Ohioans need to do an effective job of encouraging votes for Ryan so that the independent doesn’t fragment the vote.
** Texas does not currently have a senate seat open or up for re-election. The governor’s race is critical, though, as it is Texas state anti-abortion laws which have been setting the trend for the nation. Beto O’Rourke needs to win this seat.
*** Utah’s Democratic Party has thrown its support behind Evan McMullin because the chances of a Democrat winning that state are slim to none. Mike Lee is an insurrectionist who must be removed.
Pick one or more senate races to defend. Help others go on the offense. Pay attention to the pending primary races and be ready to step in to help.