Sen Stabenow Retirement Blunts Dem Hopes Of Retaining Senate In 2024

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, has announced she will not run for reelection in 2024 - a serious blow to Democrat chances of retaining control of the Senate in the face of a highly unfavourable 2024 Senate map.

• Democrats defied expectation and maintained control of the Senate in last year's midterm elections but are facing a significantly more challenging map in 2024 where they will be defending 23 of the 34 Senate seats up for grabs, including in deep red states West Virginia, Ohio, and Montana.
• Democrat will also face the additional challenge of holding onto the seat of Senator Krysten Sinema (I-AZ) who recently elected to drop her affiliation as a Democrat and re-register as an independent lawmaker.
• Stabenow said in a statement: “Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate. I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election and will leave the U.S. Senate at the end of my term on January 3, 2025.”