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From the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal, this is Potomac Watch.

The election battle over control of the United States Senate. That's our subject for today on Potomac Watch.

And it's arguably as important as a fight for the White House.

We will explain why.

Welcome to Potomac Watch.

I'm Paul Guego, editor of the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal.

I'm here today with Barton Swaim and Faith Bottom who have been covering the races in Wisconsin and Montana two races that could determine the majority.

First little context who controls the Senate will matter a great deal for how much the

president can accomplish including the confirmation of his or her nominees.

And it's especially important if Democrats win the Senate

as well as the House and the White House

because they're promising to break the Senate filibuster rule that would make many more

policies possible to pass with 51 votes instead of the normal 60 or 50 plus Democratic votes and a Democratic vice president.

So Democrats now control the Senate with 51 seats.

They're all but certain to lose West Virginia, which is now held by Joe Manchin who is retiring.

That would make it 50-50. But there are about six toss-up seats this year in the Senate that

...