Few competitive seats in 2026 will make it hard for Senate Democrats to reclaim a majority next year — even if most voters sour on Donald Trump and one-party Republican rule.
Senate Republicans gained four seats and a 53-47 majority last November on a favorable map, erecting a firewall Democrats can breach only with a four-seat gain of their own — something they haven’t accomplished in almost two decades.
Republicans are the defending party in 22 of the 35 Senate races presently scheduled for 2026, and the White House’s party usually loses ground in Congress in midterm elections. The rub ...