While much attention is focused on the 2008 presidential campaign, Republicans are also aiming to regain control of the U.S. Senate, which they narrowly lost to the Democrats last year. The Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority with 34 Senate seats up for election in November 2008. Experts believe that the Democrats are in a strong position to maintain their majority, as they only need to defend 12 seats compared to the Republicans' 22. Jennifer Duffy, who specializes in Senate races at the Cook Political Report, sees potential for the Democrats to succeed but is unsure if it will be realized. She stated that the majority is not likely to change, as the Republicans are focused on minimizing their losses. The control of the Senate will be important for the White House in the upcoming year, regardless of who replaces Bush. The Senate plays a crucial role in determining the fate of a president's policies, as many important bills require 60 votes for passage. Senate races will be influenced by issues such as the Iraq war, the economy, tax cuts, and climate change, according to government professor Anthony Corrado from Colby College in Maine. He stated that the upcoming election will put the Republicans in a defensive position, with discussions focusing on arguments for change. Duffy mentioned that it was not certain that Democrats would gain many seats. A recent poll indicated a 10-point decrease in support for Democrats since April, down to 44 percent. Democrats were elected in 2006 with a promise to withdraw troops from Iraq, but have not yet been able to fulfill that pledge. Congress will potentially reach a turning point in September when anti-war measures will be considered. A number of Republicans are being targeted by Democrats to increase their majority, including Norm Coleman in Minnesota, Susan Collins in Maine, John Sununu in New Hampshire, and the seat being vacated by Wayne Allard in Colorado. Democrats also need to defend seats held by Mary Landrieu in Louisiana, Mark Pryor in Arkansas, and Tim Johnson in South Dakota, who is recovering from brain surgery. The Republicans have not yet chosen a candidate for Landrieu's seat, leading to speculation about former Arkansas Governor potentially running. Mike Huckabee might consider abandoning his pursuit of the presidency and instead run against Pryor. According to Sen John Ensign, the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Republican party is expected to perform better than anticipated. Ensign believes that the Democrats' chances of winning the Senate were underestimated in the past and that running elections will ultimately determine the outcome. He also mentioned that the Democrats' stance on reversing tax cuts and their opposition to the Iraq war could benefit the Republicans, who lost Senate control in 2006 after losing six seats. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, the Democratic counterpart to Ensign, argues that the Iraq war, now in its fifth year, would benefit his party. Schumer believes that Democrats, with a history of balancing the budget, will appeal to voters. He states, "Republicans have lost touch and we're going to sweep in on a mandate of change." The potential retirement of senators like John Warner of Virginia and Pete Domenici of New Mexico could make the fight even tougher for Republicans, putting more seats in play. Additionally, Democrats have raised twice as much money as Republicans during the first four months of 2007, with $18.3 million compared to $9.1 million. In a closely contested Minnesota election, comedian Al Franken, the top Democratic contender, has already collected $1.35 million in the initial quarter, which is a significant achievement compared to the $1.53 million raised by Coleman.