**Republicans Poised to Challenge Senate Majority as Election Day Nears**

With just two days until Election Day, Republicans are charging full steam ahead in their bid to reclaim the Senate and enhance their majority. Presently, Democrats have a narrow 51-49 lead, already chipped at by Republicans' impending victory in West Virginia. This leaves the GOP needing just one more seat to secure the upper chamber, focusing their efforts primarily on Montana and Ohio. According to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), Republicans have a 70 percent probability of retaking the Senate.

As the final sprint of the 2024 election cycle unfolds, key battleground races are tightening, and the influence of former President Trump and Vice President Harris looms over the outcomes. Here are the top five seats that might flip control of the Senate.

Montana is seen as Republicans' most promising opportunity outside of West Virginia. Republican Tim Sheehy is closing in on Sen. Jon Tester, a three-term Democrat. A recent poll by The Hill/Emerson College places Sheehy ahead by 4 percentage points. The Cook Political Report has also categorized the seat as "lean Republican." Significant spending shifts by GOP groups to other states indicate confidence in Sheehy's lead, with internal polls showing Sheehy holding an advantage outside the margin of error. Nonetheless, Democrats argue that Montana is notoriously tricky to poll, citing Tester's 2012 victory as evidence that he can defy the odds.

In Ohio, the battle between Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and GOP challenger Bernie Moreno has become fiercely competitive. Moreno has recently gained momentum, nearly nullifying Brown's earlier lead. The race has drawn an unprecedented amount of funding, expected to exceed $500 million, surpassing even the record-breaking 2020 Senate race in Georgia. Republican operatives believe Moreno might replicate the success of Sen. JD Vance, who overcame a summer deficit to win decisively in Ohio two years ago. Brown himself has expressed concerns about overcoming an 8-point margin that Trump is projected to secure at the presidential level.

Wisconsin also features prominently in GOP targeting strategies, with Republican Eric Hovde closing in on two-term Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Baldwin's earlier lead has dissipated, and the fight is now a "toss-up," according to the Cook Political Report. The Marquette University Law poll gives Baldwin a slender 2-point lead, but Democrats are focusing on mobilizing voters in Democratic-heavy Milwaukee in the final hours. Republicans believe Baldwin could struggle to differentiate herself from the national Democratic ticket.

Defeating Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has been a long-standing goal for the state's Republicans. Once comfortably ahead, Casey's lead over Republican David McCormick has been significantly narrowed, making the race nearly tied. This presents the best chance for Republicans to unseat the Democratic Senator since he defeated Rick Santorum almost 20 years ago.

As the clock ticks down to Election Day, both parties are making their final moves in these critical races that could determine control of the Senate.