“We’ve already seen how he did, how he acted, the week after impeachment. Can you imagine this man after re-election?”
— Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor to Pres. Obama and author

If impeachment taught us one thing, it has to be the importance of flipping the Senate from Republican majority to Democratic majority. Had Democrats controlled the Senate during the trial, evidence would have been pursued, witnesses would have been both called and believed, and Donald Trump would have been held accountable for his naked power grabbing.

Likewise, even if Donald Trump wins in November, with a Democratically-controlled Senate joining the Democratically-controlled House, he will get nothing done. He will be rendered the ineffectual red-faced crybaby that he is if he has no enablers to make his dreams reality.

Not convinced that the Senate races are more important in 2020 than the presidential contest? The next president will almost certainly get to nominate two Supreme Court justices — but those people will have to be approved by the Senate. We’ve already seen who Republicans approve. Having two more justices like the first two will change life as Americans, particularly progressive Americans, know it.

The breakdown of the Senate is now 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and 2 Independents. There are 35 seats up for election and re-election in 2020 so gaining say, five, doesn’t sound that hard. But it’s going to be the bloodiest, most exhausting fight we’ve ever seen, as dirty tricks, voter suppression, and blocking tactic after blocking tactic are deployed by the GOP. They know their hold on power depends on this. We must not let the presidential race distract us from this greater urgency.

And if things look bad for our team at the top of the ballot, we cannot let that keep us away from the polls altogether.

If you haven’t already picked a Senate candidate to support both financially and with your time and effort, please do. The person doesn’t even have to be in your state if no one fits the bill there. Get Mitch or Die Trying is a great resource to get you started. It tells you where the vulnerable seats are, and lets you target your support.