Live updates: Voters decide control of Congress in key races across the nation
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Voters across the country will decide control of both chambers of Congress and elect dozens of governors, along with state and local officials. Democrats would need to flip four seats in the Senate and three seats in the House to change control of the chambers from Republicans. Follow live updates here throughout the day.
Thirty-five U.S. Senate seats are up for election, as Democrats need a net four seats to win control. To obtain this majority, Democrats must win multiple states that President Donald Trump won — some by double digits — in 2024.
Additionally, 435 U.S. House contests are up for grabs. Democrats will need a net gain of three seats to take back control of the House, a task that was complicated by Republican redistricting.
Thirty-six governor seats are also up for election, with several competitive contests clustered in presidential battlegrounds. Here’s where the balance of power stands.
Senate races to watch
Control of the U.S. Senate is up for grabs. And Republicans increasingly find themselves on defense as they try to hold on to their majority in the chamber.
The political winds are swirling against President Donald Trump and Republicans, as they historically do in midterm elections for the party in power.
Senate Republicans were optimistic going into the election thanks in large part to the map.
Currently, the GOP holds a 53-47 majority.
Thirty-five seats are up for reelection: Republicans hold 22, while Democrats hold 13. With Republican Vice President JD Vance’s ability to break tie votes, Democrats need 51 seats to win control of the chamber.
Here is what that uphill path to power looks like for Democrats.
The most straightforward path for Democrats to win the majority involves holding all of their seats, including the battlegrounds of Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire.
On top of that, they will need to pick up four more seats, and their best opportunities are in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
The challenge for Democrats is that besides Maine, Trump won all of those pickup targets in 2016, 2020 and 2024. To win back the upper chamber, Democrats will have to persuade a significant number of voters who cast ballots for Trump over the last decade to vote for the opposing party this time.
Which races could determine control of Congress?
- Here is a breakdown of the big Senate races to watch.
House races to watch
Voters in all 435 congressional districts are choosing their representatives, and the results will determine which party controls the U.S. House. A small number of closely contested races could decide the balance of power.
The contest is unfolding on new district maps in several states after an unusual round of mid-decade redistricting. Those changes have reshaped some races and added another layer to a fight that was already expected to be close.
The magic number to win the majority of seats in the House is 218.
Going into Election Day, 219 House members caucus with Republicans, leaving the party with little room for losses if it hopes to retain control.
That narrow margin could be vulnerable in a midterm election. Historically, the president’s party has often lost House seats in midterms, though each election brings its own dynamics.
With races playing out across the country, tracking the fight district by district can be difficult.
The Cook Political Report is a nonpartisan publication that analyzes and rates U.S. elections and political races. It has rated 53 House races as competitive: 18 lean Democratic, 17 lean Republican and 18 are toss-ups.
The interactive map below details what’s at stake.
Key governor races to watch
Thirty-six states have gubernatorial contests on the ballot this year.
Ahead of Election Day, there were 26 Republican governors and 24 Democratic governors.
With 19 incumbents leaving office, there will be a lot of turnover – and an opportunity for Democrats to hold a majority of the posts for the first time since 2010.
The races will also test whether Democrats can capitalize on a midterm environment that has put several Republican-held seats in play. Some campaigns have grown especially bitter, with personal attacks and family history pulled into the fight.
The most competitive contests will offer an early read on both parties’ strength ahead of the 2028 presidential race.
Below are some of the top races to watch in 2026.
The key governor races to watch in the 2026 midterm election
Click here for a breakdown of the major races.
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