Reid: Dems ‘doing really well’ in Montana

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) expressed optimism Monday about his party’s chances of holding its Senate majority.

Reid predicted Democrats would lose a seat in South Dakota, but he was optimistic about Montana, despite Sen. John Walsh’s (D-Mt.) recent decision to drop out of the race after a plagiarism scandal.

{mosads}“We are doing really well in Montana,” Reid told reporters on Monday.

The state party nominated high school math teacher and state Rep. Amanda Curtis to run as the Democratic candidate last week. Rep. Steve Daines (R-Mt.) is the heavy favorite in the red-leaning state.

If Republicans gain six seats, they’ll topple Reid as majority leader. The GOP is a big favorite to win in South Dakota, Montana and West Virginia, and has its eyes on five other seats now held by Democrats.

 {mosads}”If the election were held today, we’d be in the majority without any question, but the election is not today,” said Reid, who argued “it’s not going to be easy” for Republicans to win the Senate.

Reid acknowledged the problems in South Dakota, saying Democrats are “more than likely” to lose the state.

He gave a tepid appraisal of the party’s prospects in Louisiana, where Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu is seen as one of Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbents, and is expected to head to a runoff with Rep. Bill Cassidy, the leading GOP contender in the race.

“In Louisiana, we are trying to get to 50 percent plus 1,” he said.

Democrats hope to take GOP seats in Georgia and Kentucky, where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is facing a difficult challenge.

Of those two races, Reid added, “we are holding our own.”