Democrats face a tough map as they try to regain the Senate in 2026

Democrats hoping to regain control of the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections face a difficult task: they hold 47 seats to the Republicans' 53 and must flip four Republican seats while defending vulnerable incumbents, the New York Times reports. Midterm elections are traditionally challenging for the party in the White House, and the article says some of President Trump’s unpopular policies could hinder Republicans’ efforts to maintain a majority.

Still, Democrats have recruited top-tier candidates in several high-stakes contests. Key vulnerable Republican-held targets include Maine, where Senator Susan Collins must defend her seat against a likely challenge from Gov. Janet Mills if Ms. Mills wins a primary against progressive Graham Platner; and Georgia, where Senator Jon Ossoff will seek re-election in a state Mr.

Trump won in 2024, after Gov. Brian Kemp declined to run and multiple Republicans entered the primary. Open seats and other pivotal contests include North Carolina, where Senator Thom Tillis’s exit set up a potential marquee race with former Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley; Michigan, after Senator Gary Peters said he would not run and Democrats face a three-way primary against a unified Republican candidacy; and Ohio, where Senator Jon Husted will run in a special election and former Senator Sherrod Brown has announced a comeback bid.

Key Topics

Politics, United States Senate, Maine, Georgia, Susan Collins, Jon Ossoff