All articles tagged with #senate elections
The Cook Political Report upgraded three Senate races toward Democrats on October 6, increasing potential Democratic pickups from two to six seats. This shift moves Kansas to 'Toss Up,' New Hampshire to 'Lean Democrat,' and North Carolina to 'Likely Democrat,' bringing the Democratic Party closer to the net four seats needed to control the chamber.
The Cook Political Report revised ratings for three key Senate races toward Democrats, moving Kansas to 'Toss Up,' New Hampshire to 'Lean Democrat,' and North Carolina to 'Likely Democrat.' This shift places a Democratic majority within reach, as they need only four net seats to control the chamber.
The Senate Leadership Fund is spending $5 million to support Republican nominee Darline Graham in South Carolina, a state previously considered safe for Republicans. Polls show a statistical tie with Democratic challenger Annie Andrews, prompting national Republican leaders to intervene. Trump has personally campaigned for Graham, using a slur against Andrews, while Democrats reallocate resources to other swing states.
CNN analyst Harry Enten identifies the Texas Senate race as the critical fourth seat Democrats need to flip to secure a 78% probability of controlling the U.S. Senate. Democratic candidate James Talarico holds a narrow lead over Republican Ken Paxton, a race that has become a bellwether for broader Republican vulnerability in 2026.
In the 2026 U.S. Senate races for Georgia and Maine, incumbents Jon Ossoff and Susan Collins are emphasizing their track records of delivering federal resources to local communities. Ossoff highlights support for veterans and infrastructure in rural Georgia, while Collins promotes her seniority-driven funding for housing and environmental projects in Maine. Both candidates argue that their long tenure and ability to secure specific local benefits outweigh ideological disagreements or national policy failures.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) achieved a historic breakthrough in the French Senate, securing enough seats to form its first-ever parliamentary group. The party’s representation in the upper house jumped from three to 15 seats, clearing the 11-seat threshold required for a caucus. This victory grants RN greater influence over leadership roles and committee assignments, which Le Pen described as an essential platform for her upcoming presidential campaign. While the center-right alliance retains control of the chamber, the RN’s surge marks a significant shift in the political landscape, occurring just months before the 2027 presidential election.
France’s far-right National Rally (RN) and its allies won a record 14 seats in the Senate on September 27, 2026, effectively quadrupling their presence in the upper house. This result allows RN to form its first-ever parliamentary group, a milestone achieved just months before the 2027 presidential election. Marine Le Pen hailed the outcome as a 'historic victory,' noting that the results exceeded expectations. The RN won nine new seats, joined by two from ally Eric Ciotti’s Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR) and three retained from 2023. This shift challenges the traditional right-wing dominance of the Senate, where the Republicans (LR) remain influential but face growing competition. The development signals RN’s rising institutional power as it prepares for a presidential bid against outgoing centrist President Emmanuel Macron.
Republican leadership is shifting resources away from the North Carolina Senate race, where candidate Michael Whatley trails former Governor Roy Cooper. NRSC Chair Tim Scott excluded the state from his top spending targets, and a key super PAC cut $6.5 million in October ad reservations. While some GOP groups maintain spending, party officials express growing anxiety over the outcome.
The Cook Political Report reclassified South Carolina’s U.S. Senate race from 'solid Republican' to 'likely Republican' on September 23, 2026. Incumbent Darline Graham remains the favorite but faces a tightening contest against Democrat Annie Andrews amid national anti-incumbent sentiment.
Independent Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn criticized Trump supporters for their motives in a leaked recording, saying he aims to attract cross‑party voters and will not caucus with either major party; there is no Democrat on the general election ballot as he challenges incumbent Pete Ricketts.
A Washington Post-Schar School poll shows Democrat Abdul El-Sayed with a narrow lead over Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, aided by a Democratic-leaning environment, though the margin falls within the poll’s error range; 53% of likely voters want Democrats to control the Senate.
In Kansas, Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tougher-than-expected reelection against Democrat Adam Hamilton, prompting JD Vance to campaign for Marshall and signaling Republican concern about Democratic potential gains ahead of November.
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed apologized to Jewish Democrats for March remarks linking the Detroit-area synagogue attack to a broader cycle of violence, saying his comments were misconstrued and that he does not intend to justify the violence.
President Donald Trump’s endorsement helped Sen. Darline Graham win the South Carolina Republican Senate primary, signaling his ongoing influence in GOP races, and the piece notes a Trump-backed candidate also won in Oklahoma.
Cook Political Report moved the open Senate races in Iowa and Texas from Lean Republican to Toss Up, highlighting rising competitiveness as Ken Paxton runs for Texas’ open seat and Trump carried both states by double digits in 2024.