Mollie Hemingway of the Federalist focuses her attention on six Democratic senators whose impeachment trial votes are not as certain as you might think.
The question of the day in a media filled with activists tends to be the Democratic question of the day, with the effect of helping advance that party’s narratives and objectives. And so it has been with the media rush to pin down Republican senators that Democrats have targeted. …
… Yet reporters rarely if ever talk about Democrats’ mirror image problems here. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is, like Romney, out of step with his party on Trump. Yet both are likely to vote against impeachment. Gardner and Collins are in tough re-elects, yes, in states that Hillary Clinton won in 2016.
Gary Peters of Michigan is in a state that Trump won and is competitive heading into this election. The media focus on Collins and Gardner — and not Peters — because they want Collins and Gardner to lose.
Yet impeachment isn’t popular in Michigan, and voters who had planned to split their vote may find it more difficult if Peters sides with partisans such as impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff, the man who perpetrated the Russia collusion hoax. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Tina Smith of Minnesota face a similar problem, in states Hillary Clinton eked out narrow victories in and which are expected to be competitive.