The 2026 US midterm races are being decided across a series of closely watched Senate contests, with Democrats seeking 51 seats and Republicans needing 50 to control the chamber, thanks to Vice-President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote.
Attention is focused on contests in traditionally Republican states, as well as battlegrounds including Michigan and Ohio. Several races have tightened unexpectedly, while others could offer an indication of Donald Trump’s standing with voters despite his not being on the ballot.
Key Senate races in the 2026 US midterms
In South Carolina, Republican Darline Graham is facing Democrat Annie Andrews in an unusually competitive contest for a state normally regarded as safely Republican. Graham, the sister of the late senator Lindsey Graham, has been at the centre of one of the night’s most closely followed races.
Georgia is expected to deliver a relatively comfortable win for the Democrats, with incumbent Jon Ossoff defending his seat against Republican Mike Collins. Ossoff, regarded as a rising figure in the party, has already been linked with a possible presidential campaign.
Ohio has produced a high-stakes clash between Republican incumbent Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown, a former senator who chaired the Senate banking committee from 2021 to 2024. Brown was a vocal critic of cryptocurrency, and AdImpact has estimated that the crypto sector has spent 68 million US dollars seeking to defeat him.
Maine Republican Susan Collins is also facing a serious challenge from Democrat Troy Jackson. Collins has repeatedly won despite poor polling, but her negative net approval rating has made the contest more difficult than previous campaigns.
Texas Democrat James Talarico is attempting to become the first Democrat elected to the Senate from the state since 1988. He has made concerns about political corruption central to his campaign and is taking on Republican Ken Paxton.
In Kansas, pastor Adam Hamilton is hoping to end a 94-year run without a Democratic Senate victory in the state. He is challenging Republican Roger Marshall.
Michigan is another major battleground, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor and unionist, is competing against Republican Mike Rogers for the seat being vacated by Democrat Gary Peters. The contest has been closely fought in the swing state.
Iowa’s Senate race is being watched as a test of Trump’s popularity. Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson is facing Democratic state legislator Josh Turek, while Trump has urged voters to treat the midterms as though he were personally on the ballot despite his weakened approval rating.
Alaska has produced a contest shaped in part by the rising cost of heating fuel, electricity and groceries. Democrat Mary Peltola, who says residents face the highest healthcare costs in the country, is challenging Republican senator Dan Sullivan. An unaffiliated retired teacher, Daniel J Sullivan Jr, is also running.
Governor contests draw attention
Ohio’s governor’s race has been marked by an increasingly bitter campaign between Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy’s campaign withdrew an attack advert after tracking down Acton’s estranged mother, Donna, who alleged that her daughter was a serial liar who could not be trusted.
In Florida, Republican Byron Donalds is facing Democrat David Jolly in a contest taking place in a state associated with senator Marco Rubio. The result could offer clues about the direction of Florida politics ahead of the 2028 presidential contest.
