From Politico: Can Democrats Retake the Senate in 2016?

The author thinks it is doable.

- Click here for the article.

All Democrats have to do to re-take the Senate is to win the three yellow toss-up states where they have a natural advantage, plus a couple of the current “lean Republican” states that have voted for Obama. And Democrats will need only one “lean R” state if the party wins the White House, guaranteeing that a Democratic vice president would break a 50-50 Senate tie.

This appears doable. The Democrats’ job in 2016 is not much different than the GOP’s task last November. Republicans had, first, to hold their 14 seats in ruby red states plus Maine, where Republican incumbent Susan Collins was never in danger; and second, pick up at least six of the large pool of 21 Democratic-held seats. There were seven generally Republican states in the South and West (Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia) that were ripe for the plucking. As it happened, the GOP swept these seven and added the swing states of Colorado and Iowa, for a net gain of nine.

Thus, another Senate flip in 2016, this time to the Democrats, isn’t difficult to imagine, but it’s far from a sure thing.

From 538: The GOP’s House Majority Is Safe … Right?

There's more than just the presidency at stake right now

Both from 538:

- The GOP’s House Majority Is Safe … Right?

It’s very possible Clinton could achieve that margin of victory. But even in an era of high straight-ticket voting, extending those coattails to House races will be difficult because Republicans’ down-ballot advantages still exceed Democrats’. Let’s take a quick tour:

Why Democrats will gain House seats in 2016:
- Rebound
- Court-ordered redistricting
- Open seats

Why Republicans will probably keep their majority:
- The great sort
- Timing
- Ticket-splitting

- Senate 2016: The Democrats Strike Back.

It may come as a shock given all the attention being paid to the presidential race this year, but the president isn’t all-powerful. In fact, the U.S. Congress is supposed to be a coequal branchof the federal government. From voting on important legislation to confirming Cabinet appointees and federal judges, the Senate matters.

Right now, Republicans hold 54 seats to the Democrats’ 46 (including two independents who caucus with the Democrats). The Democrats have a favorable map in 2016: Of the 34 seats up for grabs, 24 are held by Republicans. Democrats need to net four seats to win control of the Senate if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency and five seats if Donald Trump wins. We’ll launch our official Senate projections later this year, but it’s not too early to take a more informal tour through the races. The combination of the polling, the political lean of the states being contested and the candidates running suggests a close race for control of the chamber.

The biggest factor working in the Democrats’ favor is fairly simple: Senate election results are increasingly tied to the presidential vote in each state.
And of the eight seats most likely to change hands in 2016, six are held by Republicans in states that President Obama won twice, and one is held by a Democrat in a state that former President George W. Bush won twice. If Trump does better in the presidential race than expected, Democratic gains could be kept to a minimum, but the field is tilted in their favor.

A List of United States Senators from Texas

From Wikipedia of course.

- Click here for it.

Notice that Texas' Senators fall into class 1 or class 2. This establishes when these senators face re-election. The manner in which senators face the electorate is established in the Constitution - click here for it - and is meant to ensure that the general population only has a minimal impact on the institution. 2/3rds are immune from the electorate in each election.

- Click here for a description of the process.

And.....

- For a full list of senators in class 1 click here.
- For a full list of senators in class 2 click here.
- For a full list of senators in class 3 click here.