Missouri's Senate race a key in national battle between the parties

Missouri's Senate race a key in national battle between the parties

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Missouri's Senate contest, in which three Republicans are vying to take on McCaskill, is one of a handful that ultimately could determine which party controls the Senate next year.

Polls since last month show that Missouri is one of at least eight states with opposing Senate candidates or presumed candidates separated by no more than 5 percentage points. The surveys point to an intense battle for Senate control and an election with the potential for surprises.

"With a huge number of Senate races this tight, the Senate picture might be the most interesting thing on election night," said Tom Jensen, a pollster with Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-aligned firm.
Democrats began with a structural disadvantage, defending 23 of the 33 Senate seats on November ballots. Democrats hold Senate control by a margin of 53-47, which includes Joseph Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.

Republicans need four seats to take over — or three, if the GOP captures the White House, in which case the vice president would cast deciding votes on legislation and leadership in a deadlocked Senate.

Of the races where the incumbent is the Democrat, McCaskill's "is the toughes

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/missouri-s-senate-race-a-key-in-national-battle-between/article_34b10d75-d5cd-5b47-b96c-9bb9b6ed365f.html#ixzz1s7hum1rL