The Memo: Five reasons Democrats’ midterm chances are rising

Democrats are feeling stirrings of optimism about November’s midterm elections.

 

It’s a remarkable shift of mood for a party that had been bracing for heavy defeats only a few weeks ago.

 

President Biden’s party colleagues believe they have a strong chance of holding on to control of the Senate, at least.

 

That’s partly because Republican candidates are struggling in key states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona.

 

It’s also because the Democratic Party’s poll ratings in general have ticked up, as have Biden’s. The president recently hit 44 percent approval, the highest point in a year, in a Gallup poll.