As politicos continue to do the midterm math, Harry Reid is focusing on South Dakota, where he admits Democrats look increasingly vulnerable in a Senate race,
USA Today reports.
South Dakota's former Gov. Mike Rounds likely could beat Democrat candidate Rick Weiland, turning the once blue seat red after it became wide open with the retirement of Sen. Tim Johnson. The one X-factor is independent candidate Larry Pressler, whom
The Washington Post noted was pulling in about one-fifth of the vote.
Reid was blunt in his assessment. "We're going to lose in South Dakota more than likely," Reid told the
Associated Press.
A
Real Clear Politics polling average had Rounds ahead in June by 15 points.
Reid, speaking from his office in Nevada, called the Senate races a moving target with a crucial two months still ahead.
"If the election were held today, we'd be in the majority without any question, but the election is not today," Reid said, noting that Democrats are now leading in states like Arkansas, North Carolina, Michigan, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Alaska, the AP noted.
Reid, who also took time to speak at a Jefferson-Jackson day brunch on Sunday in his home state, urged Democrats to remain focused and motivated as the race moves into its crunch period ahead of the Nov. 4 elections,
The Hill reported.
Reid articulated scorn for the billionaire Koch brothers and their investment in conservative candidates, noting the heat they had put on incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan in North Carolina as she faces a tough race against conservative Thom Tillis, the state's speaker of the house.
"They think they have enough money to buy America," Reid said. "Not only with the U.S. Senate, not only with the House of Representatives, but with the constitutional offices, as well. They are even involved with the state Senate races here."
Real Clear Politics called the Hagan-Tillis race a toss-up, giving Tillis a scant 1.3 percent edge.