The race for key Senate contests in 2026 is already getting underway, with a number of main potential candidates hinting they could be part of the race.
Republicans received again management of the Senate within the 2024 elections in early November, choosing up 4 seats for a 53-47 majority within the physique, the biggest margin for both social gathering for the reason that 2018 midterms. Democrats will now search to return on offense to attempt to win the bulk and place a verify on the incoming Trump administration.
Listed here are the seven best Senate races to observe for in 2026:
Maine
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has been a high goal for Democrats for years as a Republican senator in a state that leans Democratic in statewide elections. Although they’ve been unable to choose her off previously, she is going to virtually actually be the highest goal for Democrats in 2026.
Whether or not Collins runs could also be key to the GOP’s possibilities of holding on to the seat. She informed reporters shortly after Election Day that she plans to hunt a sixth time period in workplace, which might make her the longest-serving senator in Maine’s historical past.
As a extra reasonable senator who typically bucks the GOP in votes, Collins might face a major problem from the precise, however she virtually actually is the strongest candidate Republicans might have within the common election.
Democrats had been enthused about former state Home Speaker Sara Gideon’s possibilities in 2020 just for her to lose by greater than 8 factors, making the race a tricky problem for whoever the social gathering’s nominee might be.
North Carolina
Democrats have had their eye on North Carolina on the federal degree since former President Obama carried the state throughout the 2008 election, however they’ve taken repeated disappointments, most lately shedding the state this 12 months to President-elect Trump by about 3 factors.
They’ll hope to lastly recover from the end line dealing with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a two-term incumbent. Like with Collins, Democrats had optimism about ousting Tillis in 2020, however their candidate fell brief by lower than 2 factors.
Their possibilities could get a lift if outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper (D) joins the race after two phrases in workplace as a preferred governor. A supply informed NBC Information that Cooper declined consideration to be the Democratic working mate this 12 months as a result of he’s contemplating a Senate run.
However Tillis might be able to keep away from a divisive and doubtlessly damaging major with firebrand Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) saying one other run for workplace is “not on my radar.”
Georgia
The Georgia Senate races in 2020 tipped management of the Senate to the Democrats, and Republicans are keen to focus on Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) after the incumbent defeated then-Sen. David Perdue (R) 4 years in the past.
Trump flipped the Peach State pink once more after it voted for President Biden in 2020, together with Democratic Sens. Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. A number of distinguished Georgia Republicans are rumored to be attainable candidates.
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) has indicated that he’s contemplating a run, however he signaled to Punchbowl Information final week that he could forgo working if Gov. Brian Kemp (R) will get into the race, as many Republicans hope for. Kemp might be coming to the tip of his second time period in 2026 and might be unable to hunt a 3rd.
Kemp received reelection comfortably in 2022 after a slim win in 2018.
Michigan
Republicans have now received Michigan in two of the final three presidential races and almost picked up a Senate seat there this 12 months, with former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) shedding to Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) by 0.3 factors.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) narrowly survived his reelection bid 4 years in the past in opposition to now-Rep. John James (R-Mich.) by lower than 2 factors in a race seen as a attainable upset alternative for the GOP.
No main Republican has publicly recommended they’re pondering of difficult Peters, however the social gathering will doubtless have their sights set on the seat, particularly if they’ll nominate a robust opponent. A Republican has not received a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan for the reason that Nineteen Nineties.
Ohio
The Buckeye State can have an open Senate seat by January, with Vice President-elect JD Vance set to vacate his seat when he is sworn in. GOP Gov. Mike DeWine will appoint a substitute, however they must run in a particular election in 2026 for the remainder of the time period, which can final two extra years after that.
DeWine hasn’t indicated whom he’ll appoint, however quite a few potentialities have been floated amongst analysts, together with state Sen. Matt Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and former state GOP Chair Jane Timken, all of whom are previous Senate candidates.
Though the state has more and more leaned pink, Democrats could have an opportunity to take the seat notably if longtime outgoing Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) runs once more after a loss to Republican Bernie Moreno this 12 months. Brown has been widespread and received three straight elections earlier than his defeat this 12 months.
He has stated he’s “not ruling anything out” in response to questions on his attainable candidacy. Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who ran in opposition to Vance in 2022, additionally stated he’s preserving his choices open.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire has been on Republicans’ radar in recent times, however Democrats have prevailed there in federal elections since 2016, although by small margins.
This might put the race in opposition to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in dialogue in two years even when it’s a harder climb for the GOP than Georgia or Michigan.
Outgoing Gov. Chris Sununu (R) would doubtless be seen because the strongest attainable candidate, as he’s overwhelmingly widespread, however he has stated he isn’t desirous about working. Former Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) has stated he’s contemplating a run, which might be his second strive in opposition to Shaheen after shedding to her in 2014.
Shaheen is a heavyweight in New Hampshire, having served within the Senate for 3 phrases after six years as governor, the primary feminine governor within the state’s historical past.
Texas
Democrats have been significantly speaking about flipping Texas blue since a minimum of 2018, although every of the candidates put up since then have fallen brief, together with Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) this 12 months.
Sen. John Cornyn (R) is working for his fifth time period however could face a severe major problem from different Texas Republicans, together with state Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton. Democrats could hope a extra controversial nominee like Paxton grants a greater probability of flipping the seat.
However Texas will nonetheless be a minimum of a goal for Democrats’ most best state of affairs whatever the Republican nominee.
