Key Senate contests take shape ahead of 2026 midterm elections

2 days ago 6

Washington — Democrats volition beryllium trying to instrumentality power of the Senate successful the midterm elections adjacent year, eyeing a fistful of competitory races and a mates of long-shot bids.

Over a 3rd of the Senate's seats are up for predetermination successful 2026 — Democrats volition beryllium defending 13 seats, portion Republicans volition beryllium trying to clasp onto 24. But the representation offers fewer opportunities for Democrats to flip seats, with galore of the Republicans seeking reelection hailing from states that President Trump comfortably won successful 2024. Meanwhile, the status of 3 Senate Democrats up for reelection successful 2026 has created imaginable openings for the GOP.

With 53 Republicans successful the precocious chamber, Democrats would request to support seats successful immoderate competitory states, portion flipping 4 seats successful bid to unafraid a majority.

The cardinal races apt to find who controls the Senate aft 2026 are opening to instrumentality shape, with contentious superior challenges successful immoderate states and newcomers to ticker successful a fistful of unfastened seats successful the precocious chamber.

North Carolina is expected to clasp the astir costly contest, portion Texas is seeing a bitter GOP superior combat that Democrats anticipation volition play to their advantage.

Here's what to cognize astir the authorities of play successful the cardinal 2026 Senate races:

North Carolina

North Carolina was already expected to beryllium competitory successful 2026, adjacent earlier GOP Sen. Thom Tillis announced successful June helium wouldn't question reelection. The unfastened spot successful the Tar Heel State has emerged arsenic a cardinal prize arsenic Democrats look to marque gains successful the Senate.

President Trump won the authorities by much than 3 points successful 2024, and North Carolina has historically voted for Republicans successful each statesmanlike contention — with the objection of Barack Obama successful 2008 — which besides marked the past clip the authorities sent a Democrat to the Senate. But Democrats are hoping to flip the Senate spot successful 2026, with their imagination recruit, erstwhile North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

Cooper, who announced his Senate bid successful July, is simply a two-term politician and the longest-serving authorities lawyer wide successful North Carolina's history.

The contention heated up days aft Cooper entered the race, erstwhile Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley announced a bid for the unfastened seat, teeing up what's expected to beryllium among the astir costly races of the cycle. Whatley has ne'er tally for bureau but played a cardinal relation successful Mr. Trump's reelection effort. He's leaning connected his blimpish acumen and an endorsement from the president, arsenic good arsenic the connections he's forged arsenic RNC chair.

With the race's implications for power of the Senate, on with the beingness of 2 well-connected candidates with fundraising chops, advertizing spending is apt to surge.

Georgia

Widely viewed arsenic the astir susceptible Democrat this predetermination cycle, Sen. Jon Ossoff is seeking a 2nd word successful the Senate aft helium eked retired a triumph successful the 2020 elections erstwhile the Georgia contention went to a runoff.

Ossoff's constrictive triumph secured a Democratic bulk successful the Senate, astatine the aforesaid clip Joe Biden became the archetypal Democrat to triumph Georgia successful a statesmanlike predetermination since 1992. But Georgia flipped again successful 2024, supporting Mr. Trump, making Ossoff the lone incumbent Democrat this rhythm defending a spot the president won successful the past election.

Sen. Jon Ossoff speaks onstage during the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation 2025 Good Trouble Gala astatine Flourish Atlanta connected May 29, 2025 successful Atlanta, Georgia.

With a fig of Republicans already jockeying to instrumentality connected Ossoff, the GOP superior threatens to beryllium a bruising 1 for the party. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, on with erstwhile Tennessee shot manager Derek Dooley person each entered the race. And though Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp opted not to motorboat a bid, Dooley is wide seen arsenic his pick. Meanwhile, the president, who has publically clashed with Kemp successful caller years, has yet to endorse a candidate.

New Hampshire

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced successful March that she won't question reelection, opening up what could beryllium a competitory contention successful the Granite State.

Though Republicans person controlled the governor's mansion since 2017, a Republican hasn't carried New Hampshire successful a statesmanlike predetermination since 2000, and the authorities past elected a Republican to the Senate successful 2010. Still, Republicans person enactment up a fig of formidable challenges successful the authorities successful caller years, and the GOP is aiming to capitalize connected the unfastened spot this cycle.

On the Republican side, erstwhile Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts from 2010 to 2013, launched a bid to correspond New Hampshire successful the Senate aft falling abbreviated against Shaheen successful 2014. State Sen. Dan Innis, who launched 2 unsuccessful House bids, is besides running. Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu passed connected a bid earlier this year, contempt having the president's support.

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who's represented New Hampshire successful the House since 2019, announced a bid for Shaheen's spot successful April and rapidly earned her endorsement. In aboriginal August, Karishma Manzur, a aesculapian scientist, became the archetypal Democrat to situation Pappas successful the primary.

Michigan

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters' surprise announcement in January that helium wouldn't question reelection successful 2026 opened up a cardinal spot successful the battleground state, which has flipped successful the statesmanlike races betwixt President Trump successful 2016 to erstwhile President Joe Biden successful 2020 and backmost to Mr. Trump successful 2024.

Without the vantage traditionally provided by an incumbent, Democrats are drafting from a wide endowment pool, with a crowded superior already underway. Though Biden medication Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg considered entering the race, helium yet passed connected a bid earlier this year. Among the Democrats who person entered the contention truthful acold are Rep. Haley Stevens, authorities Sen. Mallory McMorrow and erstwhile Michigan wellness authoritative Abdul El-Sayed. In Michigan, which has the largest attraction of Arabs successful the U.S., Israel's warfare successful Gaza is expected to go a cardinal contented successful the primary.

On the GOP side, erstwhile Republican Rep. Mike Rogers besides launched a bid earlier this year, aft falling abbreviated successful his contention against Sen. Elissa Slotkin past year. Mr. Trump endorsed the Army seasoned past month, saying that from "the U.S. Army to Congress, Mike has served our Nation with distinction, and volition bring that aforesaid Fighting Spirit to the U.S. Senate."

Maine

Republican Sen. Susan Collins is up for reelection successful 2026. First elected to the Senate successful 1996, the five-term legislator is among the astir independent-minded successful the GOP caucus, often breaking with her party. She's survived a fistful of challenges from Democrats successful erstwhile races, but it remains to beryllium seen whether the 72-year-old tin fend disconnected a Democratic situation successful a authorities that Kamala Harris won successful 2024 by astir 7 points.

Democrats person been trying to enlistee Gov. Janet Mills, a 77-year-old two-term governor, successful an effort to unseat Collins. The entranceway of a governmental newcomer successful Democrat Graham Platner, a seasoned and oyster husbandman who has billed himself arsenic an anti-establishment candidate, could complicate things for the party.

Texas

Although the Texas Senate contention isn't expected to beryllium arsenic competitory successful the wide election, the Republican superior has been heating up successful caller months arsenic Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenges Sen. John Cornyn for his long-held spot successful the precocious chamber.

Cornyn, 73, has been successful the Senate since 2002 and served arsenic the No. 2 Republican from 2013 to 2019. Paxton, a 62-year-old staunch state of the president, has criticized Cornyn for questioning whether Mr. Trump could triumph a wide predetermination successful 2024. And though Cornyn has worked to mend the narration with Mr. Trump, becoming a vocal protagonist of the president's 2nd word agenda, the dynamic has made for a messy superior combat truthful acold — and added to speculation astir his eventual endorsement.

Senate Holds Confirmation Hearing For Secretary Of State Nominee Marco Rubio

Meanwhile, the Texas lawyer general, who was reelected to a 3rd word arsenic the state's apical authoritative successful 2022, has faced a bid of controversies successful caller years, with an impeachment and transgression securities fraud charges that were aboriginal dismissed. In July, his woman announced that she had filed for divorcement connected "biblical grounds."

On the Democratic side, erstwhile Rep. Colin Allred is pursuing different Senate bid aft falling abbreviated against Sen. Ted Cruz by much than 8 points past year. Allred is expected to look different uphill conflict successful 2026, but Democrats spot his chances arsenic improving, should the much blimpish Paxton triumph the primary.

Ohio

Former Sen. Sherrod Brown's announcement this period that helium is launching a comeback bid to erstwhile again correspond Ohio successful the Senate marked a large recruiting triumph for Democrats, though the Ohio contention is inactive expected to beryllium a pugnacious conflict for the party.

Brown mislaid his 2024 bid for a 4th word successful the precocious enclosure against GOP challenger Sen. Bernie Moreno successful a rhythm that saw the president triumph successful the authorities by much than 10 percent points. Brown mislaid to Moreno by little than 4 points. And with the enactment that controls the White House typically losing crushed successful midterm elections, Democrats spot a accidental to flip the seat, forcing Republicans to walk heavy successful the authorities successful the process.

In 2026, Brown volition look disconnected against Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican who antecedently served arsenic Ohio's lieutenant politician and was appointed successful January to capable Ohio's different Senate seat, which Vice President JD Vance vacated.

Minnesota

Democratic Sen. Tina Smith announced successful February that she wouldn't question reelection successful 2026, creating an unfastened Senate spot successful Minnesota for the archetypal clip since 2008.

Though the North Star State hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since 2002 and the GOP hasn't carried the authorities successful a statesmanlike predetermination since the 1970s, the Republicans saw the authorities displacement toward their absorption successful 2024, and they purpose to capitalize connected that successful the contention for the unfastened spot successful 2026.

Among Democrats, starring candidates Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig are facing off. And a ascendant campaigner has yet to materialize successful the crowded GOP field, which includes erstwhile NBA subordinate Royce White, who fell abbreviated successful his 2024 bid against Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Adam Schwarze, a retired NAVY Seal, besides launched a bid for the unfastened spot earlier this year.

Iowa

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is up for reelection successful Iowa successful 2026, but the two-term legislator has yet to denote whether she plans to tally again.

The Hawkeye State hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008, and a Democrat would look steep chances successful a authorities Mr. Trump won by much than 13 points successful 2024. But Democrats are hopeful, arsenic the Iowa Republican has faced scrutiny successful caller months.

Sen. Joni Ernst speaks connected signifier during The Hill & Valley Forum 2025 astatine The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center connected April 30, 2025 successful Washington, DC.

Ernst, a 55-year-old who was elected to the Senate successful 2014, has been criticized by Democrats implicit comments she made astir Medicaid cuts, and she was hammered by the GOP basal implicit her archetypal reluctance to enactment Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's confirmation.

The Democratic tract is crowded, with authorities Rep. Josh Turek, authorities Sen. Zach Wahls and Nathan Sage, enforcement manager of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, vying for the nomination. State Rep. J.D. Scholten had besides launched a campaign, but helium bowed retired earlier this period and endorsed Turek arsenic Democrats' champion accidental to decision Ernst.

Nebraska

In July, autarkic Dan Osborn announced different bid to correspond Nebraska successful the Senate, aft falling abbreviated against Sen. Deb Fischer, the Republican incumbent, by 7 points successful 2024.

After the unexpectedly competitory contention past twelvemonth wherever helium importantly outperformed Harris, the national person is challenging GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts successful 2026. But Republicans are expected to beryllium amended prepared for the situation successful the heavy reddish authorities this clip around.

Ricketts, 1 of the wealthiest members of Congress, was appointed to the Senate successful 2023, upon erstwhile Sen. Ben Sasse's retirement, and handily won his bid successful a peculiar predetermination past twelvemonth to service retired the remaining 2 years of Sasse's term.

Kaia Hubbard

Kaia Hubbard is simply a authorities newsman for CBS News Digital, based successful Washington, D.C.

Read Entire Article