Internal GOP polls show Senate Rust Belt seats in Pennsylvania, Ohio in play

Certain Senate seats in swing states are in play for Republicans as the election gets closer, according to internal polling numbers from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

An NRSC memo exclusively obtained by Politico, shows that Senate contests in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan are competitive for the GOP. Republican Senate candidates are trailing in Maryland, Arizona, and Nevada. Montana leans towards the GOP. In order to obtain a majority in the Senate, Republicans must flip two seats. 

The memo shows that Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno is leading incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown by two points, with Moreno at 45% and Brown at 43%.

The closest races are in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In Pennsylvania, Sen. Bob Casey, D, leads his Republican challenger by one point. Wisconsin GOP candidate Eric Hovde, meanwhile, is leading his rival, Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, by the same margin.

NRSC executive director Jason Thielman said that this is the first time in internal polling Hovde has been ahead.