The push for change seen in the 2008 presidential campaign is also evident in U.S. House and Senate races as Democrats are expected to gain more control of Congress. Polls indicate that voters prefer Democrats on issues such as the Iraq war, the economy, and energy, and feel that the country is heading in the wrong direction as President George W. Bush's term comes to a close. However, Democrats still face challenges as surveys show that only one in five Americans approves of the current divided Congress, which Democrats took control of in 2007. Despite this, Republicans have been successful in blocking Democratic efforts, including plans to withdraw from Iraq. Stu Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report, a nonpartisan organization that monitors elections, stated that the public is seeking change. He noted that when voters consider who is responsible for the current situation, they typically focus on the president rather than Congress. Rothenberg explained that if voters are dissatisfied, they tend to blame the president's party. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois gained traction in the Democratic presidential race by promoting a message of "hope and change" in Washington, despite facing challenges due to political conflicts. Obama's message of "change" was so popular that even his rivals, such as Hillary Clinton and John McCain, have adopted it. In the upcoming November elections, voters will choose a successor to Bush, as well as elect members of Congress. The Democrats currently control both the Senate and the House, with expectations of gaining more seats in both chambers. There is a possibility of reaching 60 seats in the Senate, which would allow them to overcome Republican filibusters. The last time one of the political parties had a Senate majority that could not be filibustered was in 1977-78, when the Democrats were in power. Jennifer Duffy from the Cook Political Report stated that Democrats may have a chance to reach 60 seats if everything goes well, but the odds are not in their favor due to the difficult political climate. Out of the 23 Senate seats up for election, most are currently held by Republicans, with five of them retiring and others facing strong opponents. All 12 Senate Democrats running for re-election are expected to win, according to Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who leads the Senate Republican campaign committee. Ensign hopes to maintain 47 or 48 seats, down from the current 49. However, he does not believe Democrats will reach the 60-seat threshold. On the other hand, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, who heads the Senate Democratic campaign committee, believes things are moving favorably for his party. Democrats have outperformed Republicans in fundraising, experienced fewer retirements in Congress, and had an easier time recruiting candidates. However, concerns have arisen about potential negative consequences from the contentious Obama-Clinton primary battle for the Democratic presidential nomination. Rep. Chris Van Hollen expressed worry about lasting wounds from the primary hurting Democratic chances in November. While he doesn't believe it will cost Democrats control of Congress, it could hinder 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 aid Republicans in maintaining their position in Congress. Kohut emphasized the importance of the top of the ticket, noting that McCain's popularity among independents could be decisive in the election. Democrats aim to counter any perception of Republicans as agents of change by linking them to Bush, whose approval ratings have been low. Van Hollen pointed out that while Bush is not running this year, his influence still looms over the elections. House Republicans need to provide explanations for their support of failed Iraq and economic policies over the past seven years. Representative Tom Cole, chairman of the House Republican campaign committee, dismissed concerns about their prospects, pointing out that Democrats were able to win control of Congress in 2006 by blaming Republicans for various issues such as the Iraq war, economic struggles, and high gas prices. Cole also highlighted that now that Democrats control both the House and Senate, they share responsibility for the negative perception of Washington.