Republicans are aiming to regain control of the U.S. Senate in the upcoming election, following their narrow loss to the Democrats last year. With 34 seats up for grabs and a 51-49 Democratic majority, experts believe the Democrats have the advantage, as they only need to defend 12 seats compared to the Republicans' 22. Jennifer Duffy, a Senate race specialist at the Cook Political Report, sees potential for the Democrats to succeed, but is unsure if it will be realized. "I believe that the majority is not likely to change ... The Republicans are focused on minimizing their losses," she stated. The control of the Senate will be very important for the White House in the coming year, regardless of who replaces Bush. The success or failure of a president's policies often depends on the Senate, as important bills typically require 60 votes for approval. According to Anthony Corrado, a government professor at Colby College in Maine, Senate races will be heavily influenced by the prolonged Iraq war, a struggling economy, disagreements over tax cuts, and debates about climate change. He stated that the upcoming election will put the Republicans in a defensive position, with discussions about the need for change prevailing. Duffy mentioned that there is no certainty that Democrats will gain significant seats. According to an ABC News/Washington Post poll, Democratic support has decreased by 10 points since April, now standing at 44 percent. Democrats won power in 2006 with a promise to start pulling troops out of Iraq, but have not yet fulfilled this pledge. The situation may change in September when Congress will review various anti-war proposals. Many Republicans are considered vulnerable and could potentially be defeated in order to increase the Democratic Party's advantage. This includes Senators Norm Coleman, Susan Collins, and John Sununu, as well as the seat being left vacant by Senator Wayne Allard in Colorado. Democrats also have some seats they need to defend, such as Senator Mary Landrieu in Louisiana, Senator Mark Pryor in Arkansas, and Senator Tim Johnson in South Dakota who is recovering from brain surgery. The Republican party has not yet chosen a candidate for Landrieu's seat, and there is speculation about former Arkansas Governor potentially running. Mike Huckabee may decide to not run for president and instead run against Pryor. Senator John Ensign believes that the Republican Party will perform better than some predict. Ensign pointed out that two years ago, Democrats were underestimated in their ability to take the Senate. He emphasized the importance of running elections and waiting for the results. Ensign also mentioned that the Democrats' stance on reversing tax cuts and their opposition to the Iraq war could benefit Republicans, who lost control of the Senate in 2006 after losing six seats. Ensign's Democratic counterpart, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, argues that the Iraq war, now in its fifth year, would benefit his party and that Democrats have a track record of balancing the budget, which should appeal to voters. Schumer, who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, believes that Republicans have become disconnected from voters and that the Democrats are poised to win on a platform of change. If senators like John Warner of Virginia and Pete Domenici of New Mexico decide to retire, Republicans could face an even tougher challenge as more seats come into play. Additionally, the Democratic campaign has raised double the amount of money compared to their Republican rival in the first four months of 2007, with $18.3 million raised by Democrats and $9.1 million by Republicans. In a close competition in Minnesota, comedian Al Franken, the top Democratic opponent, has already collected $1.35 million in the initial quarter, a solid performance compared to the $1.53 million raised by Coleman.