The desire for change in the 2008 presidential campaign is also evident in U.S. House and Senate races as Democrats are likely to increase their control of Congress. Polls indicate that voters are leaning towards Democrats on various issues such as the Iraq war, the economy, and energy, and feel that the country is on the wrong path as President George W. Bush's term comes to an end. However, Democrats are also facing challenges as surveys show that only one in five Americans approve of the divided Congress, which Democrats took over from Republicans in January 2007. Despite their defeat, Republicans have been able to block Democrats on several issues, including attempts to withdraw from Iraq. Stu Rothenberg, from the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report, stated that the public desires change, with a focus on the president rather than Congress. He mentioned that voters tend to express their dissatisfaction with the president's party when they are angry. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois gained momentum in the Democratic presidential race by promoting the message of "hope and change" in Washington, despite facing challenges from political conflicts. Obama's message of "change" was so well-received that both his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, and Republican nominee, John McCain, have adopted it. In the upcoming election in November, voters will not only choose a new president to succeed Bush, but also a third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives. Democrats currently have a slight majority in both chambers and are expected to make some gains, with a possibility of reaching the 60 seats needed in the Senate to overcome Republican filibusters. The most recent time one of the parties had a Senate majority that could not be filibustered was in 1977-78 when the Democrats were in control. According to Jennifer Duffy from the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, there is a possibility that Democrats could reach 60 seats if everything goes well, but the chances are low due to the challenging political climate. Out of the 23 Senate seats up for election, many are currently held by Republicans, with five of them choosing not to run for reelection and others facing strong competition. All 12 Senate Democrats who are up for re-election are expected to win, according to Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who is the chairman of the Senate Republican campaign committee. Ensign acknowledged that it will be a challenging election cycle for Republicans, and he hopes to hold on to at least 47 or 48 seats in the Senate. However, he does not believe that Democrats will reach the 60 seats needed for a filibuster-proof majority. On the other hand, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, who is the chairman of the Senate Democratic campaign committee, is optimistic about the direction of the election. Democrats have outperformed Republicans in fundraising, had fewer congressional retirements, and found it easier to recruit challengers. Despite this, they are worried about the potential negative effects of the intense competition between Obama and Clinton in the Democratic primaries for the presidential nomination. Rep. Chris Van Hollen expressed concern that the wounds created during the primary could linger until the general election in November. While he does not believe this will cost Democrats control of Congress, it could impact their efforts to gain more seats. Andrew Kohut of the Pew Research Center suggested that a strong performance by McCain in the presidential race could help Republicans in Congress. Kohut emphasized the importance of the top of the ticket, stating that McCain's strength lies in his support among independents who have a significant impact on election outcomes. Democrats aim to counter any notion that McCain and other Republicans represent change by linking them to Bush, who has low approval ratings. Van Hollen noted that although Bush is not running this year, his influence is still felt in the elections. House Republicans must justify their support for failed Iraq and economic policies over the past seven years. Rep. Tom Cole, chairman of the House Republican campaign committee, dismissed concerns about their prospects, pointing out that Democrats also won control of Congress in 2006 by blaming Republicans for issues such as the Iraq war and a struggling economy. Cole emphasized that now that Democrats are in control, they too are responsible for the negative perception of Washington.