Democrats Plan Larger Senate Majority in ‘08

U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME) speaks about the Democratic party’s push for a larger Senate majority. Allen also addressed his stances on issues like health care and oil prices.

On behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke in Denver Wednesday afternoon about the need to expand the Democratic majority in this year’s Senate elections. He introduced six candidates running for seats in the Senate this fall. Among them were former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM), Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME), Rep. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner.

The Democratic candidates are in close races for eleven Senate seats, and Sen. Reid was optimistic that the party will win the spots. Reid said, “The Democratic majority is slim…we know we need more numbers.”

Reid added that the Democrats are reaching for sixty seats, in order to prevent Republican filibusters, which have recently been used in record numbers. In the 109th Congress, only 54 filibusters were used. By comparison, the 110th Congress has already used a record-breaking 92 filibusters.

After Reid spoke, Sen. Charles Schumer discussed the importance of Wednesday’s meeting. Schumer said, “This gathering doesn’t have thousands of people…but it’s probably the second most important gathering that you will be at for the future of this country,” referring to this week’s Democratic National Convention.

Schumer emphasized the fact that the Senate races are just as important as the Presidential race. A Democratic majority must be elected, according to Schumer, in order to fulfill the party’s promise of change by passing comprehensive legislation. He acknowledged that if Sen. Barack Obama is elected President, he will need the support of a Democratic-led Congress.

The six candidates that joined Reid and Schumer will be running competitive races against Republican incumbents.

While the candidates all discussed change, most touched on specific issues. Allen and Shaheen shared a concern about the cost of heating oil, while Warner, the keynote speaker at the DNC on Wednesday, said he will take a stand to improve the country’s infrastructure.

Warner said “This is one of these moments in history…what happens over the next two, four, six, eight years will determine whether this country has the same preeminence in the twenty-first century that it had in the twentieth.”

The DSCC and some Senatorial candidates will address the delegates about their push for Senate seats at the DNC after the Roll Call Vote, which will take place Wednesday evening.