In the wake of mass unrest in America's cities after the killing of George Floyd coupled with an ongoing global pandemic, Republicans are growing increasingly anxious about their ability to hold on to control of the U.S. Senate, according to Bloomberg.
President Trump's poll numbers are on the decline, which threatens to affect the popularity of GOP incumbents.
“Ultimately Senate Republicans’ fate will be tied to Trump and he’ll be judged by this,” said Jessica Taylor, Senate editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “When you have a president who dominates the news cycle in every way, it is hard to separate yourself.”
Republicans are defending 23 Senate seats to just 12 for Democrats, "with Democrats needing a net gain of at least three seats in November to take control of a chamber now divided 53-47 in Republicans’ favor," Bloomberg reports.
The news comes as a growing number of Republicans are breaking ranks to criticize Trump on how he handled the recent protests and unrest that emerged across the country. One was Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who said last week that she agreed with criticism of Trump by former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, adding that she wasn't sure if she'll support him in November.
Trump’s approval rating fell to 39% in a recent Gallup poll, down from 49% in the previous poll.
