In the upcoming elections next year, Democrats have the opportunity to strengthen their Senate majority, which would increase their influence regardless of who becomes the next President after George W. Bush. Due to retirements, scandals, and the Iraq war affecting Republicans, there is a chance that Democrats could potentially gain up to nine seats in the 100-member Senate in November 2008. This would give them a crucial 60 seats, which is the number needed to overcome Republican procedural obstacles that have hindered their efforts to change Bush's Iraq war policy, particularly regarding the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The last time Democrats had a significant majority in the Senate was during the 1977-1979 congressional session when they held 61 seats. Jennifer Duffy, who monitors Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, believes that reaching 60 seats is a realistic possibility. She stated that for everything to go well, there would need to be a lot of luck involved. It is currently too soon to make any definite statements. With the elections approaching in a year, numerous Republicans are trying to distance themselves from Bush, who has a low approval rating. However, they are still closely associated with his unpopular position on the Iraq war, which has been ongoing for five years. Many are worried about what lies ahead, especially since Senate Democrats have received more campaign donations than Republicans. A senior Senate Republican aide predicts that their party will lose seats in the upcoming election due to the unfavorable political climate. Currently, Republicans hold 22 out of the 34 Senate seats up for re-election, while Democrats have 12. All Democrats plan to seek re-election and are expected to win easily. Additionally, five Republican incumbents have already stated they will not run for another term in 2008. Last week, Senators Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Larry Craig of Idaho both announced they would not be seeking re-election, following in the footsteps of fellow Republicans John Warner of Virginia, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and Wayne Allard of Colorado. Domenici, 75, cited declining health as his reason, while Craig, 62, mentioned his disputed conviction in an undercover sex-sting in an airport men's room. The Craig conviction has caused embarrassment for Republicans, who claim to uphold "conservative family values." Additionally, the party has been affected by a political corruption investigation in Alaska involving Senator Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican senator in history. Stevens, who has been a member of the Senate since 1968, has denied any misconduct. However, the investigation has made the 83-year-old Alaskan vulnerable in the upcoming 2008 elections. The Iraq war played a role in Democrats gaining control of Congress last year and may help them further increase their majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate next year. Despite polls showing low approval ratings for the Democratic-led Congress, Republicans still see some hope due to partisan gridlock. Rebecca Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senate campaign committee, stated that Democrats have not yet shown their ability to lead the country effectively and voters are noticing. She believes Republicans will regain control of the Senate. Despite this, Democrats are confident as surveys show that Americans still favor them over Republicans in Congress. However, many are hesitant to make predictions about their success in the upcoming elections. Duffy from the Cook Political Report believes Democrats are trying to lower expectations for Senate gains to avoid energizing the Republican base. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, who doubted his party's chances in the past, now prioritizes maintaining the majority without making any predictions for the upcoming election. Similarly, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York expresses optimism about their chances without specifying potential seat gains.