One Senator Could Decide the Senate

When a closely divided chamber meets a senator who is erratic, absent, or hints at switching parties, that single individual's conduct can determine which party controls the Senate even if national results favor the other side. This makes vetting, capacity transparency, and intra‑party discipline as electorally consequential as winning seats in the field. — If majorities can hinge on one incumbent’s fitness or loyalty, campaigns and voters must weigh candidate capacity and not just aggregate seat counts, shifting how we think about elections, oversight, and majority legitimacy.