For much of this election cycle, Democrats’ hopes of winning back the Senate seemed like a long shot.They need a net gain of four seats to reach 51 and overcome Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote. And the electoral map initially appeared to give Republicans plenty of opportunities to protect their majority.Read the rest of this columnTalking Points is my analysis of the political landscape, written only for Political Wire members.Talking Points analysisNo ads on any pageTrending News, the Polling Dashboard and the Political CalendarInside Elections and Ballot Access NewsThe Trial Balloon podcastSee membership plansAlready a member? Sign in