Schumer predicts Democrats will keep Senate majority, and 'maybe even pick up seats'

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) remains optimistic that the Democrats will be able to defy the recent wave of enthusiasm for Republicans and maintain their Senate majority, The Associated Press reports.
Schumer believes Democratic candidates will be able to defeat their opponents in the highly contested battleground states and even sees the potential of flipping some seats.
"It's tight," Schumer said in the interview with AP. "I believe Democrats will hold the Senate and maybe even pick up seats."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Schumer's confident forecast comes as support and enthusiasm for Democrats fall behind a boost in the polls for the GOP. Republicans are benefiting from voters' high interest in economic concerns and their dissatisfaction with President Biden's performance. Maintaining control of the Senate has been a steep battle for Democrats from the beginning, and historically the dominant party tends to lose congressional seats in the midterm elections.
Regardless, Schumer is counting on high voter turnout on Tuesday to secure the win for his party and told interviewers that Democrats have advantages in each of the critical battleground states. He emphasized that Democratic candidates are "defying the political environment," shattering the narrative that Republicans would quickly take control of the Senate.
He believes his party's endurance against the odds suggests that voters "are seeing how extreme these Republican candidates are, and they don't like it. And second, they're seeing the Democrats are talking to them on issues they care about, and that we've accomplished a great deal on things."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Should lying in politics be a criminal offence?
Today's Big Question Welsh government considers new crime of deliberate deception by an elected official
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Store closings could accelerate throughout 2025
Under the Radar Major brands like Macy's and Walgreens are continuing to shutter stores
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chief
Speed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Putin plan Ukraine peace talks without Kyiv
Speed Read President Donald Trump spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not included
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published