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Midterm Elections Could Shift Control of Congress
Confirmed
In Short: Democrats and Republicans are focusing on a small number of races in the House and the Senate as they fight for control of Congress in the midterm elections.
The majorities in both houses of Congress are in play as voters weigh a midterm check on unified control of government in Washington, with President Donald Trump's hold on the White House and Republican majorities in the House and Senate the past two years.
For Democrats to have a chance at taking control, they must attain a net gain of three seats in the House, pushing their numbers to at least 218.
In their first legislative session with the majority in both chambers, Democrats ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, enacted tighter gun control, expanded voting access, banned discrimination against LGBTQ Virginians, and rolled back abortion restrictions.
A key handful of races will be critical in determining whether Democrats or Republicans control the chamber next year.
CBS News' Battleground Tracker polling is back for 2026, capturing what's on voters' minds and the key groups to watch coast to coast, as well as what it means for districts, seat estimates and control of the U.S.
The Democratic and Republican Senate nominations are up for grabs on Tuesday in swing state New Hampshire, in a race that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber in the midterm elections.
What's confirmed
- - The Democratic and Republican Senate nominations are up for grabs on Tuesday in swing state New Hampshire, in a race that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber in the midterm elections.
What's still developing
- “If it weren’t for Republican efforts to redraw Texas, Proposition 50 wouldn’t have seen the light of day,” said Wasserman, who predicts Democrats will win control of the House, and said that Republicans would have a better chance at holding more seats if they hadn’t prompted the redistricting fight.