Patrick: Could I have a statement, please? zoloft insomnia go away Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., told reporters late Monday that the nuclear option would effectively shut down the Senate and give the GOP an issue to campaign on in the 2014 elections. Assuming a Democrat wins a special election in New Jersey this fall to replace the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Republicans will need to gain six seats to take control of the Senate in 2014.