GOP closes in on @SenatorHeitkamp knockout — and control of the Senate politi.co/2IPfR0j via @politico
Heitkamp is down in public polls by a significant margin, and most political handicappers think Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) is the favorite to beat her. If she goes down, Democrats would basically have to run the table in every other battleground race to take the chamber.
Heitkamp needs to mount a dramatic comeback in order for Democrats to have any shot at taking the Senate. It’s a long shot in any case, but nearly impossible if she loses.
Democrats need to net two seats to win majority, even as a half-dozen of their incumbents are in tough races. The party has 4 opportunities to flip GOP-held seats. But if Heitkamp loses they'd need to win 3 of those 4, plus hold nine seats in states carried by Trump in 2016.
