# A Veteran Democratic Operative Says Weak Republican Candidates Could Hand Democrats the Senate, but Admits the Polls Have Overstated His Party Before

Dan Turrentine, a former chief of staff to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, tells Fox News Digital Democrats have 'a pretty good chance' five days out. He also warns pollsters have missed late shifts in three straight change elections.

- Section: [Politics](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/politics/)
- Published: 2026-10-31
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/veteran-dem-operative-turrentine-weak-gop-candidates-senate-majority-texas-mississippi-kansas-ohio-fox-news/

A Democrat who has worked at the top of his party's operation says Republicans may lose the Senate through their own choice of candidates, Fox News Digital reports.

The forecast. Dan Turrentine, who was chief of staff to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis when Polis served in Congress and now co-hosts the podcast "The Huddle" with former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, said, "Five days out, Democrats have a pretty good chance to retake the Senate." Republicans hold the chamber 53 to 47. He pointed to North Carolina, where Sen. Thom Tillis is retiring and polls show former Gov. Roy Cooper well ahead of Republican Michael Whatley, and to close races in Ohio, Michigan, Texas, Kansas and Missouri.

The blame. Turrentine credited smart Democratic campaigning, then pointed at Republican nominees. He named Ken Paxton in Texas, Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, Roger Marshall in Kansas and Darlene Graham Nordone, who Fox says is running for the seat of her late brother, former Sen. Lindsey Graham. "If Republicans lose the Senate, it's likely one of those four loses," he said, adding that the president's standing is part of the problem but "that last mile comes down to weak candidate quality."

The caution. He conceded that earlier surveys overstated Democratic support. "Campaigns are terrified about polling," he said, noting the 2016, 2022 and 2024 elections as "change elections" where polls missed late shifts. Will frustrated Trump voters stay home, he asked, or are early Democratic votes in Texas just habitual voters casting ballots sooner? "Nobody knows, and people have a knot in their stomach about Tuesday."

Alaska and Maine. Turrentine said he was more confident of a Democratic takeover before the New York Times report on the second Dan Sullivan. He said Mary Peltola had led almost every poll until very recently and that Alaska may now be a tossup. Peltola denies involvement in the second Sullivan's campaign. If Alaska slips away, he said, Democrats would need Ohio, Texas and one of Michigan, Maine, Kansas or Mississippi. On Maine he said GOP Sen. Susan Collins is within a point or two.

His own side. He also described a Democratic Party pulled between moderates and a growing left wing, said few people know where House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stands, and said Sen. Chuck Schumer is watching for a primary challenge from the left.

Note for readers: this is one operative's read of the map, not a forecast model, and Turrentine himself says the polling behind it may be off. Our earlier Alaska stories are on the site.

## Source

Original reporting: [Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/veteran-dem-operative-says-subpar-gop-candidates-poised-hand-over-senate-majority)