US Republicans plan 'unprecedented' $342M push to defend Senate majority: Report

Republicans are preparing an "unprecedented" $342 million campaign to defend their US Senate majority ahead of the key November midterms, according to US media, as Democrats seek to capitalize on economic concerns, the war in Iran, and the president’s broad unpopularity to gain seats in both houses of Congress.

The Washington Times reported Wednesday that the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the GOP’s leading super political action committee or PAC, said the investment, its "largest investment ever," will target five races where the Republican incumbents are defending their seats as well as three potential pickups, where they hope to capture a seat now held by a Democrat.

Republicans currently hold 53 of 100 Senate seats, giving it a clear edge in most votes and committee leaderships in the body.

The PAC “will efficiently deploy resources and build full-scale campaigns to protect and expand the Republican Senate Majority," officials said in announcing the strategy.

Democrats hope for 'blue wave' in November

The Midwest state of Ohio is a top priority, with $79 million planned for the special election to fill the seat vacated in 2025 by Vice President JD Vance.

Republican Sen. Jon Husted, appointed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, is expected to face former Sen. Sherrod Brown in what could become one of the most expensive midterm contests. A Quantus Insights poll shows Husted narrowly leading Brown by two points.

Before his defeat in a 2024 election, Brown had been a senator for Ohio for 18 years.

The Republicans’ Senate Leadership Fund also plans to spend $71 million in North Carolina to defend retiring Sen. Thom Tillis' seat, $45 million in Michigan where Republican Mike Rogers is seeking to flip the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, and $44 million in Georgia targeting Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, where Republican Doug Collins leads GOP primary polls.

Additional spending includes $42 million in Maine to support Sen. Susan M. Collins, $29 million in Iowa following Republican Sen. Joni Ernst’s retirement, $17 million in New Hampshire to flip the seat left by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, and $15 million in Alaska to help Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Democrats, buoyed by declining approval ratings for President Donald Trump and strong fundraising in battleground states such as Ohio and New Hampshire, are increasingly hopeful for a "blue wave" victory in November, according to Federal Election Commission filings cited by The Washington Times.

Capturing the Senate would give Democrats much more power to block actions by Trump in the last two years of his four-year term.