Midterm Blue Wave Senate: Mid-Atlantic

 The next stop on my Midterm Senate fantasy tour is the Mid-Atlantic region comprised of seven states: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.  The same set of demographics as before: Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Religion, Disability and Age.  All of which will form the basis for a diversity index score.  Of the seven states there are only Senate races in 4: New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia.  In all cases popular incumbents have wide leads.  The result is likely to be zero change from the status quo.  The states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia are served by two Democratic Senators.  The state of West Virginia is served by two Republican Senators.  This leaves Pennsylvania as an odd bird among states with split representation.

New York's Senior Senator holds the top position for the Democratic Party in the Senate.  Chuck Schumer is an old school politician who has been a member of Congress since 1993.  After nine terms Representing New York City in various districts: 16th, 10th, and 9th District, he ran for Senate in 1998 and defeated Republican firebrand, Al D'Amato.  Venerable hand-shaker/deal-maker, Schumer was elected to the role of Leader of the Senate in 2017.  The Junior Senator was elected to the seat previously held by former First Lady, Hillary Clinton.  In 2019, Kirsten Gillibrand ran in a crowded field for the Democratic nomination for the presidency.  She began her candidacy in March of 2019, and dropped out in August.  She has been particularly passionate about the fare treatment of our military veterans.

Pennsylvania is one of only three states with a divided Senatorial delegation.  The Senior Senator, John Fetter was elected as a maverick in a race against a Trump loyalist and TV Commentator.  The win was the only one Democrats managed to eke out of a Trump windfall year.  His tenure has been marked by recovery from a stroke, opposition to many progressive Democratic ideals, and finally a AWOL status regarding participation in Senate business.  Dave McCorkmick was elected the following year defeating a longtime Democratic incumbent by a narrow margin.  But a win is ALWAYS a win. 

New Jersey's Senior Senator also participated in the Presidential Campaign of 2019.  And like Gillibrand, Corey Booker failed to make the cut.  He is known as an exuberant and even at times excitable present on the floor of the Senate.  His New Jersey partner and Junior Senator was just elected to the seat during the 2024 campaign.  Andy Kim is the only member of the Senate from a Korean ethnic background.  Together they form one of the youngest Senatorial Delegations.

Chris Coons is the Senior Senator from the state of Delaware.  Affiable character on the Senate floor.  You often see him roaming from one group of Senators to another to partake in chit chat.  The Junior Senator, Lisa Blunt Rochester is one of two African American Senators, both of whom were just elected to office in November of 2024.

Maryland is my home!  And I love both of my Senators.  Chris Van Hollen was first elected in 2016.  He's focused on the work of the Department of State, Immmigration Issues, and Constituency Services.  He's also the least wealthy of all the Senators with a net worth that is lower than my own.  Electing Angela Alsobrooks in 2024 was one of my favorite votes.  She is whip smart and brings a perspective to the Senate that it desperately needs.  I'm expecting great things from her.

Virginia's delegation is one of the longest serving duos.  Senior Senator Mark Warner is cruising to re-election.  A businessman with a long reputation of working across the aisle when in the minority.  He is problem solver and a great asset to the Senate.  Junior Senator Tim Kane briefly came to national attention when Hillary Clinton chose him as her running mate in 2015.  Tim is a genial guy who also works across the aisle to craft bi-partisan legislation.

West Virginia was one of the most Blue states for over a century.  One of its most favored "sons" was Senator Robert Byrd who is also the longest serving Senator in the history of the Senate.  When he retired in 2010 after over 51 years of tenure, the current Senior Senator, Shelly Capito was elected breaking the Blue bubble.  She started out as a moderate Republican, and grew with the party to be a mostly "yes" vote to Trump's whims.  I liked her until I learned how many of her own relatives she's managed to get into positions of state and local offices.  The West Virginia bubble turned red in 2022 when Jim Justice was elected.  Junior Senator Jim Justice came to the Senate hot off the Governor's office, and he is the wealthiest person in the Senate with a net worth of about $675,000,000.00.   Money was obtained through the mining of coal and income obtained from the Greenbrier Estate in southern West Virginia.

Index Time:  

By Demographic category

GENDER 4 out of 14 - 29; current score 29 (illustrated by the map)

RACE 4 out of 14 - 29; current score 29

RELIGION 1 out of 14 - 7; current score 7

DISABILITY 0 out of 14 - 0; current score 0

Diversity Index remains at 25.0 as compared to New England's of 8.3

Average age will remain 63.