ATKINSON, N.H. (AP) — Republicans are increasingly confident in Senate candidates who party leaders had once believed were essentially unelectable or at least seriously flawed. Republican officials are betting big that the political environment dragging down Democrats nationwide will overcome what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell himself has called “candidate quality” issues. Republican Senate contenders from Arizona to New Hampshire are grappling with revelations about their personal lives, extreme positions and weak fundraising. Yet they may be in position to win. And as Republican confidence grows, Democrats have been forced into a defensive crouch with voters looking to punish the party that controls Washington for concerns about inflation, crime and the direction of the country.
Confident GOP unifies behind candidates once seen as risky
