Tuesday’s Democratic victory in the Georgia Senate runoff has led to a predictable response — a Democratic victory lap and Republican recriminations.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took a victory lap Wednesday, praising the party’s “great candidates” over “MAGA Republicans,” and looked toward 2024, where he said President Biden would be “very helpful” to Democrats during a cycle with a tough Senate map.
Reporting on the other side of the aisle, the NBC News Capitol Hill team heard a list of complaints from Republican lawmakers in the wake of their loss.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune blamed former President Trump’s “obsession with the 2020 election” for becoming “an albatross and a real liability.”
Retiring Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt told NBC that “candidates matter. And I think we’ve lost two or three or four races we didn’t have to lose this year.” Retiring Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy echoed that message.
But some disagreed — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said that “the Trump factor helped some and hurt some,” and Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford said that there’s “just no way to ever tell” whether Trump’s presence was helpful or hurtful to Republicans.
In other 2024 news:
Heads up, Atlanta TV stations: The AP explores how Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s win in the Georgia Senate runoff secures the state’s battleground status going into 2024.
McCormick for Senate round two?: The AP also reports on how Trump’s struggles in 2022 changes the landscape for Republican David McCormick, who ran against Trump’s endorsed Mehmet Oz and is considered a top Senate candidate for 2024.
Donor dinner party: Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., is hosting a dinner with some top donors after his decisive re-election as he weighs a potential run for president, the Washington Post reports.
Search party: NBC News’ Scott Wong reports on one of the most important first tasks for newly minted Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, picking someone to lead the DCCC.
Soros opens his wallet: After spending millions on the 2022 midterms, Politico reports that Democratic donor George Soros made a $50 million donation to a Democratic super PAC earlier this month, a sign that Soros will continue to wield his influence in 2024.
