The countdown to the 2024 election is on with candidates beginning to announce their intentions to run for Senate seats - or give them up.
Democrats currently have a narrow majority in the upper chamber, but that will be tested next year. Thirty-four seats in the Senate will be up for grabs in the upcoming election, with Democrats (including independents who caucus with Democrats) currently occupying a majority - 23 - of those seats.
The majority party will seek to defend their incumbents in key races again Republican rivals as they look to maintain their slim majority in a presidential election year where President Joe Biden will likely be seeking his second term.
Some members of the House are throwing their names on the ballot for a seat in the upper chamber while senators have launched campaigns for reelection or announced they would not be seeking another term. Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow said she would not be running in 2024. The third-ranking Democrat's departure leaves the GOP with a pickup opportunity in a swing state.
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Here are the candidates who have announced their Senate plans for 2024:
Candidates running for Senate include Gallego (AZ), Banks (IN) and Porter (CA):
Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks. Banks announced on Twitter he will be running for a Senate seat that will be vacated by Republican Sen. Mike Braun, a first-term senator who announced he will be running for Indiana governor. "Indiana deserves a conservative fighter in the United States Senate," Banks said in a campaign announcement video.
Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego. Gallego, a military veteran, is running for Senate to challenge Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who announced she was leaving the Democratic party and registering as an independent. "Today, too many Arizonans see their dream slipping away. I'm running for the U.S. Senate to win it back for you!" Gallego tweeted.
West Virginia Republican Rep. Alex Mooney. Mooney announced he will be challenging Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in the West Virginia Senate race. Mooney has made Manchin a target of his campaign, attacking the senator's record in a campaign video. "West Virginia is a conservative state that deserves conservative leadership. I will put our faith, family, and liberty first," he tweeted.
California Democratic Rep. Katie Porter. Porter is running for a Senate in California. She is the first to challenge Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has not announced yet whether she will seek reelection or retire.
Ohio Republican state Senator Matt Dolan. Dolan, who is serving his second term in the Ohio Senate, announced he will be running to challenge Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is up for reelection in 2024. Dolan ran for the Senate seat last fall, and lost to Sen. J.D. Vance in the primary. His 2024 campaign will be his second attempt at a U.S. Senate seat.
California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. Schiff has announced he will be running for a Senate. The California representative, who has served in the House since 2001, served on the House Intelligence Committee in the last Congress and was a key figure during the Jan. 6 hearings to investigate the attack on the Capitol. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blocked Schiff from serving on the Intelligence Committee this Congress. "We're in the fight of our lives-a fight I'm ready to lead as California's next U.S. Senator," he tweeted.
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Senators seeking reelection include Kaine (VA), Brown (OH) and Gillibrand (NY):
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. Brown is up for reelection in 2024. He told Spectrum News he will be running to keep his seat in a race that already includes Republican challenger Matt Dolan. Brown has served in Congress since 2006.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine. Kaine announced he will be running for reelection in 2024. "I'm a servant. I love Virginia. I'm proud of what I've done," he said during his announcement. The former vice presidential candidate was first elected to the Senate in 2013.
New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Gillibrand announced her reelection bid to serve a third term in the Senate. She has served in Congress since 2009, winning the last New York Senate race by wide margins.
Nevada Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. Rosen publicly confirmed she is running for reelection in 2024, telling POLITICO in October, "I am all in. I'm definitely running." She previously served in the House before winning a Senate seat in 2018 after defeating the Republican incumbent.
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott. Scott is running for reelection to keep his Senate seat after rumors circulated that he may launch a 2024 presidential bid. "I ran to fight for Floridians and that is exactly what I am going to keep doing. I've never lost a race and I don't intend to now," he posted on Twitter.
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Senators not seeking reelection including Stabenow (MI) and Braun (IN):
Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Stabenow announced at the beginning of the year she will not be running to keep her Senate seat in 2024. "Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I have decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate," she said, adding, "When my term ends, I intend to begin a new chapter in my life that includes continuing to serve our state outside of elected office while spending precious time with my amazing 96-year-old mom and my wonderful family."
Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun. Braun has his sights set for a different public office: the governor's mansion. The first-term senator announced he would run for governor in 2024 just one month after November's midterm elections, leaving his Senate seat open for a GOP newcomer in the solidly red state.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senate 2024: Here are the candidates who have announced already
