WASHINGTON ― How do the words “Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer” sound?
Democrats think Republicans should get used to saying them, thanks to the latest scandal regarding the GOP presidential nominee. Schumer is the heir apparent to now-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
Control of the Senate had been perhaps the toughest forecast to make in this unpredictable election season, with the Category 5 orange fury named Donald Trump completely roiling the normal political order.
Still, HuffPost Pollster’s latest predictions gave the GOP about a 65 percent chance of holding on to Congress’ upper chamber.
That is all based on modeling state polling, but there can also be some logic applied. Lots of people who vote against Trump might not want to give Hillary Clinton ― a candidate who is also not especially popular ― a Democratic-controlled Senate. It makes a pretty good argument for ticket-splitting: People could at least balance out their vote if they’re not too fond of Clinton.
But then America learned that Trump was willing to boast, while wearing a microphone, about being a serial sexual predator.
Republicans were quick to condemn the remarks ― but not to ditch Trump.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) seemed to think that he could deflect attention from his own support of the GOP nominee by putting the focus back on Trump.
“He alone bears the burden of his conduct and alone should suffer the consequences,” McCain said in a statement Friday night.
Some Republicans began to realize on Saturday morning exactly how toxic most Americans find Trump’s remarks.
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), who called Trump a role model on Monday, was one of the GOP senators in a tight race to finally pull the plug.
Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.), who is vying to replace the retiring Reid, took a similar step.
“I can no longer look past this pattern of behavior and inappropriate comments from Donald Trump. Therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to support him nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton,” he said in a statement. “My wife, my daughters, my mother, my sister and all women deserve better. The American people deserve better.”
Heck’s opponent, Catherine Cortez-Masto, isn’t buying this apparent change of heart.
“What you’re seeing now is not leadership,” she said. “It’s Joe Heck trying to save his career, but Joe Heck’s made clear that he’s with Donald Trump.”
Even McCain, who had defended the GOP nominee earlier this week, decided to dump Trump later Saturday, after his Friday remarks proved insufficient.
But with just a month to go until Election Day, Democrats think such words are simply too late in coming. Trump, after all, has spent an entire campaign insulting women and minorities, supporting racists and enthusing about dictators.
Democrats don’t think voters will buy a conversion this late in the game ― even if they aren’t excited about Clinton, they will have seen Republicans stand by Trump for too long.
Indeed, the executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised that argument almost immediately after Ayotte finally disavowed her party’s standard-bearer.
“Just days after calling Trump a ‘role model’ she is now attempting the most politically craven effort at self-preservation that we’ve seen,” the DSCC’s Tom Lopach said. “The time for courage has passed, and Sen. Ayotte solidified her role in Trump’s party long ago. New Hampshire voters won’t be fooled by this stunning example of politics at its worst.”
But most of the GOP Senate slate still has not jumped from the Trump train, and Democrats are taking full advantage.
“This is someone my opponent fully supports,” former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) said of Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.).
Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) put it to his opponent, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, this way: “Donald Trump’s comments are indefensible. So is his candidacy. So one question remains for Sen. Johnson: Sen. Johnson, will you vote for Donald Trump to be President of the United States of America?”
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.) said the response from her foe, McCain, was “absolutely inexcusable and disgusting.”
“Any responsible leader would see that Donald Trump should not be president,” Kirkpatrick added.
Pennsylvania Democrat Katie McGinty had similar words for Sen. Pat Toomey (R).
“The only thing worse than Donald Trump’s comments are the people who should stand up to him but instead do nothing,” McGinty said. “Pat Toomey likes to say he’ll stand up to Donald Trump, but every time something like this happens, he runs and hides.”
The DSCC released a statement before some Republicans started unendorsing Trump, arguing that such a move would not matter.
“Even if they do make the purely political calculation that now is the time to run for the fences ... it’s too little, too late,” the statement said.
“Republicans have stood by Trump as he has insulted women, immigrants, African Americans, people with disabilities, Gold Star families, veterans and more,” the statement continued. “The question they can’t answer if they decide to jump ship is: Why only now?”
If Clinton wins the White House, the Democrats need to win just four seats to retake control of the Senate.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee did not return a request for comment.
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.