Durbin: Dems Will Hold Senate

While making a few campaign stops in Eastern Pennsylvania, the number two Democrat in the US Senate predicted his party will maintain control of Congress’ upper chamber next year. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois says he’s confident his party will keep its Senate majority, but he concedes Democrats will likely lose several seats. With a much slimmer margin, Durbin says Republicans and Democrats will need to reach across the aisle, in order pass bills. “The issues are substantial. Far and away the biggest issue is creating jobs in America. I mean, we’ve got to turn this economy around and put people back to work. Not only good for their families, but good for our nation, when it comes to the deficit. But secondly, when you take a look at the issues that we face, we still have to deal with the issue of clean energy jobs for our future,” says Durbin. Durbin was in Pennsylvania to campaign for Congressman Joe Sestak and several southeastern congressional candidates. He says Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey is wrong to call for scaled back government spending, “I hope that they’ll take a look at history. Back in the 1930s we went through the same experience. People said, hit the breaks. Let’s talk about the deficit. And the next thing you know, the unemployment rate went skyrocketing again, didn’t come down until World War II. I don’t want to see history repeating itself.”

Durbin made a few more predictions while in the state. He says he won’t be Majority Leader next year. That means he is predicting a win by embattled Democrat Harry Reid, who’s facing a tough campaign in Nevada. Durbin also predicts a November Senate vote on ending “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” He says, “I believe it’s time to put this policy aside. I believe the military leadership has had an opportunity to consider how to reach that goal. And I think the courts – as Admiral Sestak has said – the courts are moving in the right direction. But because of uncertainty about the next court decision, Congress needs to act.”