Countdown to 2024: These candidates have already announced Senate plans for next election
The countdown to the 2024 election is on with candidates beginning to announce their intentions to run for Senate seats – or give them up.
Democrats currently have a narrow majority in the upper chamber, but that will be tested next year. Thirty-four seats in the Senate will be up for grabs in the upcoming election, with Democrats (including independents who caucus with Democrats) currently occupying a majority – 23 – of those seats.
The majority party will seek to defend their incumbents in key races again Republican rivals as they look to maintain their slim majority in a presidential election year where President Joe Biden will likely be seeking his second term.
Some members of the House are throwing their names on the ballot for a seat in the upper chamber, while a handful of senators have launched campaigns for reelection. Others have announced they would not be seeking another term, like California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the longest serving senator in the state, who announced in February she will be retiring.
Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow has also said she would not be running in 2024. The third-ranking Democrat's departure leaves the GOP with a pickup opportunity in a swing state.
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Here are the candidates who have announced their Senate plans for 2024:
Candidates running for Senate include Gallego (AZ), Banks (IN) and Porter (CA):
Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks. Banks announced on Twitter he will be running for a Senate seat that will be vacated by Republican Sen. Mike Braun, a first-term senator who announced he will be running for Indiana governor. "Indiana deserves a conservative fighter in the United States Senate," Banks said in a campaign announcement video.
Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego. Gallego, a military veteran, is running for Senate to challenge Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who announced she was leaving the Democratic party and registering as an independent. "Today, too many Arizonans see their dream slipping away. I’m running for the U.S. Senate to win it back for you!" Gallego tweeted.
West Virginia Republican Rep. Alex Mooney. Mooney announced he will be challenging Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in the West Virginia Senate race. Mooney has made Manchin a target of his campaign, attacking the senator's record in a campaign video. "West Virginia is a conservative state that deserves conservative leadership. I will put our faith, family, and liberty first," he tweeted.
California Democratic Rep. Katie Porter. Porter is running for a Senate seat in California. She was the first to challenge Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein before she announced she will be retiring.
Ohio Republican state Senator Matt Dolan. Dolan, who is serving his second term in the Ohio Senate, announced he will be running to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is up for reelection in 2024. Dolan ran for the Senate seat last fall and lost to Sen. J.D. Vance in the primary. His 2024 campaign will be his second attempt at a U.S. Senate seat.
California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. Schiff has announced he will be running for Senate in the race for Feinstein's Senate seat. The California representative, who has served in the House since 2001, served on the House Intelligence Committee in the last Congress and was a key figure during the Jan. 6 hearings to investigate the attack on the Capitol. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blocked Schiff from serving on the Intelligence Committee this Congress. "We’re in the fight of our lives—a fight I’m ready to lead as California’s next U.S. Senator," Schiff tweeted.
California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee. Lee launched her bid for a Senate seat, saying in a campaign video she was “running for U.S. Senate because Californians deserve a strong, progressive leader who has accomplished real things and delivered real change.” Lee will enter the race with Porter and Schiff for the seat that will be left vacant by Feinstein's retirement.
Michigan Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin. Slotkin will be running for the Senate seat being vacated by current Democratic Sen. Stabenow in a race that could provide Republicans with an opportunity to turn a swing state red. She is currently serving her third House term after winning reelection last fall. "We need a new generation of leaders that thinks differently, works harder, and never forgets that we are public servants," she said in a tweet accompanied by a video announcing her candidacy.
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Senators seeking reelection include Kaine (VA), Brown (OH) and Gillibrand (NY):
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Brown is up for reelection in 2024. He told Spectrum News he will be running to keep his seat in a race that already includes Republican challenger Matt Dolan. Brown has served in Congress since 2006.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine. Kaine announced he will be running for reelection in 2024. “I’m a servant. I love Virginia. I’m proud of what I’ve done," he said during his announcement. The former vice presidential candidate was first elected to the Senate in 2013.
New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Gillibrand announced her reelection bid to serve a third term in the Senate. She has served in Congress since 2009, winning the last New York Senate race by wide margins.
Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. Rosen publicly confirmed she is running for reelection in 2024, telling POLITICO in October, "I am all in. I’m definitely running." She previously served in the House before winning a Senate seat in 2018 after defeating the Republican incumbent.
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott. Scott is running for reelection to keep his Senate seat after rumors circulated that he may launch a 2024 presidential bid. "I ran to fight for Floridians and that is exactly what I am going to keep doing. I’ve never lost a race and I don’t intend to now," he posted on Twitter.
Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. Tester is seeking reelection after serving in the Senate since 2007. “Montanans need a fighter that will hold our government accountable and demand Washington stand up for veterans and lower costs for families," he tweeted.
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Warren will seek a third term in the U.S. Senate, saying there remains “a lot more we’ve got to do” in a video announcing her re-election bid.
Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey: Casey, first elected in 2006, announced he will seek a fourth term to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate. "There’s still more work to do to cut through the gridlock, stand up to powerful special interests, and make the lives of hardworking Pennsylvanians easier," he tweeted.
Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin: Baldwin is running to serve a third term in the Senate. She was first elected in 2012 and became the state's first woman and the first openly gay member elected to the U.S. Senate. “I'm committed to making sure that working people, not just the big corporations and ultra-wealthy, have a fighter on their side," she said in a statement.
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Senators not seeking reelection including Feinstein (CA), Stabenow (MI) and Braun (IN):
California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Feinstein is the Senate's longest serving female senator and announced in February she will not be seeking reelection. The 89-year-old was first elected to office in 1992. Democratic Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee will be vying for her seat. "The time has come," Feinstein told reporters of her decision to not run for reelection.
Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Stabenow announced at the beginning of the year she will not be running to keep her Senate seat in 2024. “Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate," she said, adding, "When my term ends, I intend to begin a new chapter in my life that includes continuing to serve our state outside of elected office while spending precious time with my amazing 96-year-old mom and my wonderful family."
Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun. Braun has his sights set for a different public office: the governor's mansion. The first-term senator announced he would run for governor in 2024 just one month after November's midterm elections, leaving his Senate seat open for a GOP newcomer in the solidly red state.
Other lawmakers not running for office:
Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz. Spartz, who was first elected in 2021 announced she is not seeking reelection to keep her seat in the House or running for a Senate seat in 2024. In the leadup to her announcement, Spartz had been considering a run for an open senate seat that Sen. Mike Braun will vacate to run for governor. Rep. Jim Banks, Spartz's Indiana colleague in the House, previously announced he would be running for the Senate seat.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senate 2024: Here are the candidates who have announced already
