PBS高端访谈:民主党很难赢得参议院多数席位（在线收听）

Amna Nawaz: While nearly two dozen Democrats are competing for the presidential nomination, the party's strategy to win back the U.S. Senate is facing serious trouble. One issue, some of the candidates that Democrats say have the best chance of winning Senate seats are instead running for president. Lisa Desjardins breaks down the state of the 2020 Senate races.

John Hickenlooper: Today, I'm ending my campaign for president.

Lisa Desjardins: A glimmer of hope this week for Democrats' battle to retake the Senate in 2020. Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper exited the presidential race, lost in a crowd of Democrats, leaving the door open for a Senate run.

John Hickenlooper: So many Coloradans who want me to run for the United States Senate, they remind me how much is at stake for our country and our state. I intend to give that some serious thought.

Lisa Desjardins: Democratic leaders have serious thoughts about it, too, because Hickenlooper may be their best shot at defeating Colorado's Republican Senator Cory Gardner. And that is one of Democrats' best pickup opportunities nationwide. Right now, Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate. For Democrats to take over, they need to flip three or four of those, depending on which party wins the presidency and can break Senate ties. Colorado is one of a handful of states with that potential. Democrats are also targeting Susan Collins' seat in Maine and Martha McSally's in Arizona, where Democrats have recruited retired astronaut Mark Kelly. Another possibility, Thom Tillis' seat in North Carolina. So far, Democrats have seen much of the party's star power tied up in the race for the White House, like Montana governor Steve Bullock.

Steve Bullock: And that's how we win back the places that we lost.

Judy Woodruff: We don't know whether you're going to be on the debate stage.

Lisa Desjardins: Earlier this month, Bullock told "NewsHour"'s Judy Woodruff he doesn't plan on making a Senate bid.

Judy Woodruff: Are you ruling it out?

Steve Bullock: I'm ruling it out.

Lisa Desjardins: And then there's Texas. Democrats are hoping yet another presidential candidate, Beto O'Rourke, opts instead for a second Senate run in 2020.

Beto O’Rourke: Thank you, Texas.

Lisa Desjardins: After narrowly losing to Senator Ted Cruz in 2018.

Beto O' Rourke: I'm running for president. And I'm taking this fight directly to Donald Trump.

Lisa Desjardins: But just this week, O'Rourke pushed back.

Beto O’Rourke: I will not, in any scenario, run for the United States Senate. I'm running for president. I'm running for this country.

Lisa Desjardins: Part of the challenge for Democrats is, they must also defend their own seats, and may be vulnerable in Alabama, Michigan and New Hampshire.

President Donald Trump: Corey Lewandowski loves your state, loves New Hampshire.

Lisa Desjardins: In New Hampshire last night, President Trump talked up a potential Senate bid by his former campaign chairman, Corey Lewandowski.

Corey Lewandowski: This is Trump country!

Lisa Desjardins: Lewandowski would face Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen if he did enter the race, though the state's Republican leaders have largely balked at the suggestion. For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins.

阿姆纳·纳瓦兹：虽然有民主党有数十名总统候选人，但民主党赢取美国参议院大多数席位的策略严重堪忧。有一个问题是——有几位候选人是民主党眼中最有几率赢得参议院席位的，但这几位都在竞选总统。下面请听我台记者丽莎·德雅尔丹发回的关于2020年参议院席位之争的详细报道。

约翰·希肯卢珀：今天，我就要结束自己的总统竞选之旅了。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：本周，民主党重新夺回2020年参议院多数席位的可能性小之又小。前科罗拉多州州长约翰·希肯卢珀让总统竞选之争变得更加沸腾，他和许多民主党议员一同参选，同时他也不排除参加参议院竞选的可能性。

约翰·希肯卢珀：特别多的科罗拉多市民希望我竞选参议院职位，他们都跟我说，美国和科罗拉多州都在面临严重的危机。我想在这个问题上审慎思考一下。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：一些民主党领袖也对这个问题进行了审慎的思考，因为约翰·希肯卢珀可能是他们击败科罗拉多州共和党参议员科里·加德纳最有希望的候选人。他是民主党在全国范围内最大的希望了。目前，共和党在参议院有53个席位。如果民主党想占多数席位的话，他们需要再争夺3-4个席位，这取决于哪个党能通过竞选上参议院议长的方式来打破参议院的结构。科罗拉多州是为数不多的几个州里有这种希望的州。民主党也在将目标瞄准苏珊·科林斯在缅因州的席位以及玛莎·麦克萨利在亚利桑那州的席位。民主党在亚利桑那州迎来了已退役宇航员马克·凯利的加入。还有一个可能性是北卡罗来纳州托姆·蒂利斯的席位。目前为止，民主党会发现自己党内有人气的议员都跟总统竞选扯上了关系，比如蒙大纳州州长史蒂夫·布洛克。

史蒂夫·布洛克：我们就是要以这种方式赢回我们失去的席位。

朱迪·伍德拉夫：我们不知道你是否会登上辩论台。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：本月初，布洛克在接受《新闻一小时》采访时跟朱迪说他不打算参加参议院之争。

朱迪·伍德拉夫：您完全排除这种可能性了吗？

史蒂夫·布洛克：是的。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：此外还有德克萨斯州，民主党希望再出一位总统候选人——贝托·欧洛克，他们不希望他参加2020年参议院之争。

贝托·欧洛克：谢谢德克萨斯州的大家们。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：在2018年以微弱优势输给参议员泰德·克鲁兹后。

贝托·欧洛克：我准备竞选总统。我要直接跟特朗普正面刚。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：但就在本周，贝托·欧洛克退后了。

贝托·欧洛克：在任何情况下，我都不会竞选参议院席位。我要竞选美国总统，为美国而竞选。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：民主党面临的部分挑战是他们还必须保住参议院的席位，而且阿拉巴马州、密歇根州、新罕布什尔州的参议院席位可能很危险。

特朗普总统：科里·莱万多夫斯基很爱这个州，很爱新罕布什尔。

丽莎·德雅尔丹：昨晚，在新汉布什尔州，特朗普总统谈及前竞选经理科里·莱万多夫斯基可能竞选参议院席位的事情。

科里·莱万多夫斯基：这是特朗普的国！

丽莎·德雅尔丹：如果参选的话，那么科里·莱万多夫斯基会面临民主党参议员珍妮·沙希恩。虽然该州众议院的多为领袖对于这个建议持犹疑态度。感谢收听丽莎·德雅尔丹发回的《新闻一小时》。