Republican Senate Candidates Trail Democrats on Favorability in 7 of 8 Key Races
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 18
Republican Senate Candidates Trail Democrats on Favorability in 7 of 8 Key Races
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 18
Summary
Seven of the eight Senate races most likely to decide control of the chamber show the Republican nominee less popular than the Democrat, with the GOP candidate net positive in only Alaska.
Across those states, Democratic nominees average a net +8 image rating versus Republicans at -5, even after including Michigan, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is 13 points underwater.
Texas and Maine highlight the problem: Ken Paxton and Susan Collins are each net -12, while Democrats James Talarico and Troy Jackson are above water, creating 17-point and 15-point favorability gaps.
Georgia, Iowa and North Carolina show similar Democratic advantages, with Jon Ossoff and Josh Turek at least 20 points above water and Roy Cooper running 15 points better than Michael Whatley on image.
The pattern suggests GOP candidates are being hurt not just by a difficult national environment tied to Donald Trump, but also by Democrats fielding nominees who are broadly more likable despite both parties' weak brands.