The road to a Republican Senate majority starts in West Virginia, according to pollsters and the National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC).

The 2024 West Virginia Senate election could determine whether Republicans regain control of the Senate for the first time in four years, and Republicans appear poised to flip seats, according to the paper. University of Virginia Political Center. The group puts West Virginia in the “Republican-leaning” category, indicating its belief that Republicans can win the state.

A report from UVA’s Center for Political Science said, “Overall, Republicans appear to be well positioned in West Virginia, the number one target.” “If they reverse that and hold on to everything they have now, they only need one more seat to reach a 51-seat majority, no matter what happens in the presidential election.”

The seat is currently held by Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who was first elected in 2010 and previously served as governor. Manchin has not announced whether he will seek re-election, and he has not ruled out running for president on a third-party ticket.

Incumbent Republican West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced his candidacy for a Senate seat in April. Republican West Virginia Representative Alex Mooney is also seeking the nomination, and the primary will be held. (Related: West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is running in the Senate race to face Joe Manchin).

“West Virginia is a must,” Jim McLaughlin, president and partner of pollster McLaughlin & Associates, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The good news is that Manchin is over. His numbers in West Virginia are terrible right now.”

McLaughlin said Manchin’s role in passing anti-inflation laws and his close ties to President Biden contributed to his unpopularity in the state.

“It’s simple math, West Virginia is an overwhelmingly conservative Republican state,” McLaughlin continued. “Donald Trump won the gubernatorial race by nearly 40 points, Caputo won by 53 points, and Jim Justice won by 33 points. The most Republican state in the country. is one of

Recent poll A study conducted by Eastern Carolina University found that Justice had an “impressive” 22-point lead over Joe Manchin, while Mooney held just a one-point lead. .

Other political commentators Cook Political Report West Virginia still thinks it’s a “toss-up.” However, in an outlet like CNN and CNBC Admitted the vulnerability of the sheet.

NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell told the DCNF that “the road to Senate Majority runs through West Virginia.” “We are going to retire Joe Manchin and elect a Republican who will fight for his family in West Virginia.”

Ohio, Montana, and Arizona are still classified as toss-ups, according to the Political Center’s projections. The report’s authors noted that Republicans are recruiting more electable candidates who could pose a real threat to the Democratic incumbent.

He also noted that Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana has charted a new course for 2024, adding new leadership to the NRSC. According to the Center for Politics, Danes is focused on recruiting better candidates and developing a more coherent strategy.

“Even without West Virginia, the Republicans could still win the Senate,” Kyle Kondik, editor-in-chief of Sabbath’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Political Center, told DCNF. “But it’s clear that it’s their number one goal, and if they’re losing it, that probably means things are more broadly confusing for them.”

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