2026 midterm election races to watch

Control of Congress this fall hinges on a limited set of contests, and CBS News has singled out nine Senate races and 42 House races it expects to decide the majority. Republicans hold both chambers but face exposure, which CBS attributes mainly to the unpopular Iran war and ongoing cost-of-living strain. The Senate stands at 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats. Most of the 22 seats Republicans are defending are in states President Trump carried comfortably in 2024.

Among the Senate matchups, Republican Dan Sullivan faces Mary Peltola in Alaska, and Susan Collins faces Troy Jackson in Maine after Graham Platner exited the race following a sexual assault allegation. In Texas, Ken Paxton, who beat Sen. John Cornyn, faces James Talarico. In Georgia, Mike Collins challenges Sen. Jon Ossoff. In Ohio, Jon Husted is up against Sherrod Brown. Open seats include Michigan, where Mike Rogers meets Abdul El-Sayed, and North Carolina, where Roy Cooper faces Michael Whatley.

Every House seat is on the ballot, and a majority requires 218. Republicans currently hold 218 seats, plus an independent aligned with them, against 214 Democrats, with two vacancies.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News →