Democrats build midterm momentum, but Republicans still in driver's seat in Senate majority battle

By Fox News · Fox News

A leading nonpartisan political handicapper predicts that the Democrats' path to winning back the Senate majority in this year's midterm elections is getting wider thanks to a rough political climate for the GOP, but that capturing control of the chamber remains a "tall order." The Cook Political Report on Monday shifted the ratings in four key Senate races in favor of the Democrats, but added that Republicans "remain the narrowing favorites to retain the upper chamber." Republicans currently control the Senate 53-47 but are battling stiff political headwinds, as the party in power in the nation's capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms. The GOP faces a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns amid persistent inflation, as well as rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and President Donald Trump 's underwater approval ratings. "Right now, we see the likeliest outcome is a one to three seat Democratic pickup — still just out of reach of the four seats the party needs to reclaim the majority," Cook Report Senate and Governors Editor Jessica Taylor said in a release. SNUBBED BY TRUMP, THESE GOP CANDIDATES ACT LIKE THEY HAVE HIS ENDORSEMENT ANYWAY The Cook Report shifted the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis in battleground North Carolina from toss-up to lean Democrat. Former two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is facing off against former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley in what will likely be one of the most expensive and competitive Senate showdowns in the nation this autumn. In battleground Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is running for a second six-year term, the Cook Report also moved the race from toss-up to lean Democrat. Republicans view Ossoff as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat seeking re-election this year, but he has built a massive war chest while the GOP faces a three-way primary battle for its nomination. STRATEGY SESSION: TRUMP TEAM HUDDLES ON MIDTERM MESS…