Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., during a wide-ranging interview with The Nevada Independent said it is probable Democrats will retake the Senate in 2018.
Republicans currently control 52 seats to 48 for the Democrats in the upper chamber and 33 senators, including 23 Democrats, eight Republicans, and two Independents are up for reelection next year. Only about a dozen of those contests will be competitive, according to USA Today, with only two GOP senators considered vulnerable: Jeff Flake of Arizona and Dean Heller of Nevada.
"We're two short in the Senate, and I think it's very probable that we'll be able to retake the Senate," Reid said. "And I have felt much better about the House in recent weeks. There's no question in my mind that this election coming up in 2018 is going to be a change election. The House is right now – it's hard for Ryan to put together a 218 [member majority]. After this election, he won't be able to. He may not be in line to be the speaker, because they could lose it all."
Republicans hold 240 seats in the House, compared to 194 for Democrats.
Reid said his discussions with Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Reps. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Steny Hoyer, D-Md., gave him confidence the House could be flipped, too.
"They gave me confidence that what's going on in politics in America today is going to benefit Democratic House members, for those wanting to be in the house," Reid said.
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