Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
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The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate. It is the only organization solely dedicated to electing Democrats to the United States Senate. The DSCC's current Chairman is Senator Jon Tester of Montana, who succeeded Senator Michael Bennet following the United States Senate elections, 2014. The DSCC's current Executive Director is Tom Lopach, who is assisted by Deputy Executive Director Preston Elliott.
List of Chairs
| Name | State | Term of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Bennett Johnston, Jr. | LA | 1976-1977 |
| Wendell H. Ford | KY | 1977-1983 |
| Lloyd Bentsen | TX | 1983-1985 |
| George Mitchell | ME | 1985-1987 |
| John Kerry | MA | 1987-1989 |
| John Breaux | LA | 1989-1991 |
| Chuck Robb | VA | 1991-1993 |
| Bob Graham | FL | 1993-1995 |
| Bob Kerrey | NE | 1995-1999 |
| Robert Torricelli | NJ | 1999-2001 |
| Patty Murray | WA | 2001-2003 |
| Jon Corzine | NJ | 2003-2005 |
| Chuck Schumer | NY | 2005-2009 |
| Bob Menendez | NJ | 2009-2011 |
| Patty Murray | WA | 2011-2013 |
| Michael Bennet | CO | 2013-2015 |
| Jon Tester | MT | 2015- |
2011-12 election cycle
In 2012, 23 Democratic Senate seats were available, as opposed to 10 Republican seats. An increase of four seats would have given the GOP a Senate majority. In the election, three GOP seats and one Democratic seat was lost, increasing the Democratic majority by two.[1]
DSCC executive director said their strategy was to “localize” elections – make them “a choice between the two people on the ballot...and not simply allow it to be a nationalized election”.[2] Because this is not easy to do in a presidential election year, the DSCC has gone very much on the offensive, depicting Republican candidates and donors, and especially the Tea Party, as extreme. During the Florida and Indiana primaries, they are pushing that the Tea Party is working to move the GOP "so far to the right that candidates will say anything to get their party's nomination". The GOP is targeting four red states to pick up the seats they need for a Senate majority. They were looking at states that didn't swing for President Obama in 2008: Missouri, Montana, Nebraska and North Dakota.[2][3]
See also
