WASHINGTON (AP) – Hillary Clinton is not the only one playing defense after the FBI’s disclosure last week of additional emails relevant to its probe of her use of a private email server. Other Democrats are under the gun, too, in dozens of down-ballot races that will determine whether they control the House and Senate next year.
Clinton herself still is favored and a tracking poll conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post suggested little immediate change following the email story breaking on Friday.
Still, it’s unflattering attention for Clinton in a race in which the candidate in the spotlight has typically slumped in the polls. And to the extent the fortunes of down-ballot Democrats rise and fall with Clinton, it’s a worrisome development for the party.
At the very least, the flare-up gives Republicans, many of whom have been repeatedly on the defensive over a slew of controversies involving GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, a welcome opportunity to go on offense.
“This is the first time in months that down-ballot Democrats have been forced to play defense on their nominee,” said GOP consultant John Ashbrook. Still, Ashbrook says, “some of these states are almost baked” after months of campaign attacks and counter-attacks.