Sen. Cortez-Masto Fends Off Pro-Trump Adam Laxalt In Nevada Senate Race, Multiple Outlets Project
L: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images R: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto has defeated Republican challenger Adam Laxalt in the hotly-contested Nevada Senate race — a key victory for Democrats to hold the upper chamber — according to a projection from NBC News and Decision Desk HQ.
President Joe Biden was riding high for the first few months of his presidency, and so were his party’s congressional prospects. But Biden’s approval crossed below 50 percent for the first time almost a year ago amid the Delta coronavirus surge, the Afghanistan withdrawal, and the beginnings of stubborn inflation — and that approval has yet to recover.
Democrats managed to remain ahead of Republicans until November, when the GOP took over the lead in 538’s average of generic congressional ballot polls, and held it for the next 9 months.
But things seemed to turn around for Democrats when the draft Supreme Court decision that would strike down Roe v. Wade was leaked to the press, and became an immediate rallying cry for the 2022 midterms.
When the Supreme Court actually did effectively overturn Roe v. Wade with a 5-4 decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Republicans led by 2.3 percent.
But the issue heated up after the decision, with concerns about Justice Clarence Thomas‘ remarks in a concurring opinion, in which he said the court should “reconsider” rights in other cases, and cited Griswold v. Connecticut (1965, right of married persons to obtain contraceptives), Lawrence v. Texas (2003, right to engage in private, consensual sexual acts), and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015, right to marriage equality).
At the same time, gas prices — a major driver of inflation — fell sharply, the January 6 committee put on a series of blockbuster hearings, Attorney General Merrick Garland’s investigation into January 6 heated up, and Biden and the Democrats notched a series of legislative wins. Democrats took the lead back from Republicans in August.
In the past six weeks or so, however, the GOP retook that lead and individual races tightened as inflation remained stubborn and undecided voters dwindled. Going into Election Day, Cortez-Masto held a slim 0.6% lead on Laxalt in the 538 average.
