2026 United States Senate elections
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The 2026 United States Senate elections are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested in regular elections, the winners of which will serve six-year terms in the United States Congress from January 3, 2027, to January 3, 2033. Senators are divided into three groups, or classes, whose terms are staggered so that a different class is elected every two years. Class 2 senators were last elected in 2020 and will be up for election in this cycle.
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35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51[a] seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Map of the incumbents: Democratic incumbent Democratic incumbent retiring Republican incumbent Republican incumbent retiring No election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Two special elections will be held: one in Ohio to fill the remaining two years of JD Vance's term following his election to the vice presidency and one in Florida to fill the remaining two years of Marco Rubio's term after his nomination as the United States Secretary of State was confirmed. With the election of John Thune as leader of the Republican Conference, this will be the first election year since 2006 in which the Republicans are not led by Mitch McConnell, who is retiring at the end of the term.
Partisan composition
Summarize
Perspective
All 33 Class 2 Senate seats and 2 Class 3 seats are up for election in 2026; Class 2 currently consists of 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats. If vacancies occur in Class 1 or 3 Senate seats, that state might require a special election to take place during the 119th Congress, possibly concurrently with the other 2026 Senate elections.
There are two seats being defended by Democrats in states won by Donald Trump in 2024 (in both cases, by less than three percentage points): Michigan, where incumbent Gary Peters will not be running for re-election; and Georgia, where the incumbent is Jon Ossoff. Michigan elected Democrat Elissa Slotkin to the Senate in 2024 by 0.3 points; Georgia did not have a Senate election in 2024, although in the most recent Senate election in 2022, Democrat Raphael Warnock won by 3 points.[1]
There are five incumbent Democratic senators that represent states won by Kamala Harris by single-digit margins in 2024: New Hampshire's Jeanne Shaheen, Minnesota's Tina Smith, Virginia's Mark Warner, New Jersey's Cory Booker, and New Mexico's Ben Ray Luján.
There is one seat with a Republican incumbent in a state won by Kamala Harris in 2024: Maine, where Senator Susan Collins was re-elected to a fifth term in 2020; Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, was re-elected by 17 points in 2024. One Republican, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, is up for re-election in a state won by Trump by a single-digit margin. Tillis beat the last Democrat to win a Senate race in North Carolina, Kay Hagan, in 2014.
This map is considered unfavorable to Democrats, especially due to the fact that 3 Democratic incumbents are retiring. However, the map for 2026 is not considered to be as unfavorable as the map for 2024. Democrats are defending 13 seats, while Republicans are defending 22 seats. However, the makeup of the seats up for re-election mean that Republicans remain heavily favored to retain the Senate majority.[2]
Change in composition
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Perspective
Each block represents one of the one hundred seats in the U.S. Senate. "D#" is a Democratic senator, "I#" is an Independent senator, and "R#" is a Republican senator. They are arranged so that the parties are separated and a majority is clear by crossing the middle.
Before the elections
Each block indicates an incumbent senator's actions going into the election.
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| D40 N.M. Undeclared |
D39 Ill. Undeclared |
D38 Del. Undeclared |
D37 R.I. Running |
D36 N.J. Running |
D35 Mass. Running |
D34 Ga. Running |
D33 Colo. Running |
D32 | D31 |
| D41 Ore. Undeclared |
D42 Va. Undeclared |
D43 Mich. Retiring |
D44 Minn. Retiring |
D45 N.H. Retiring |
I1 | I2 | R53 Ky. Retiring |
R52 Wyo. Undeclared |
R51 W.Va. Undeclared |
| Majority → | R50 S.D. Undeclared | ||||||||
| R41 S.C. Running |
R42 Tenn. Running |
R43 Texas Running |
R44 Alaska Undeclared |
R45 Idaho Undeclared |
R46 Kan. Undeclared |
R47 Mont. Undeclared |
R48 Ohio (sp.) Undeclared |
R49 Okla. Undeclared | |
| R40 N.C. Running |
R39 Neb. Running |
R38 Miss. Running |
R37 Maine Running |
R36 La. Running |
R35 Iowa Running |
R34 Fla. (sp.) Running |
R33 Ark. Running |
R32 Ala. Running |
R31 |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 | R29 | R30 |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
After the elections
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| Fla. (sp.) TBD |
Del. TBD |
Colo. TBD |
Ark. TBD |
Alaska TBD |
Ala. TBD |
I2 | I1 | D32 | D31 |
| Ga. TBD |
Idaho TBD |
Ill. TBD |
Iowa TBD |
Kan. TBD |
Ky. TBD |
La. TBD |
Maine TBD |
Mass. TBD |
Mich. TBD |
| Majority TBD → | |||||||||
| Minn. TBD |
Ore. TBD |
Okla. TBD |
Ohio (sp.) TBD |
N.C. TBD |
N.M. TBD |
N.J. TBD |
N.H. TBD |
Neb. TBD |
Mont. TBD |
| Miss. TBD |
R.I. TBD |
S.C. TBD |
S.D. TBD |
Tenn. TBD |
Texas TBD |
Va. TBD |
W.Va. TBD |
Wyo. TBD |
R31 |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 | R29 | R30 |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
| Key |
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|---|
Retirements
Four senators, three Democrats and one Republican, have announced their retirements.
| State | Senator | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Mitch McConnell | [3] |
| Michigan | Gary Peters | [4] |
| Minnesota | Tina Smith | [5] |
| New Hampshire | Jeanne Shaheen | [6] |
Predictions
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Perspective
Several sites and individuals published predictions of competitive seats. These predictions looked at factors such as the strength of the incumbent (if the incumbent was running for reelection) and the other candidates, and the state's partisan lean (reflected in part by the state's Cook Partisan Voting Index rating). The predictions assigned ratings to each seat, indicating the predicted advantage that a party had in winning that seat. Most election predictors used:
- "tossup" or "battleground": no advantage
- "tilt" (used by some predictors): advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean"
- "lean": slight advantage
- "likely": significant, but surmountable, advantage
- "safe" or "solid": near-certain chance of victory
| Constituency | Incumbent | Ratings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | PVI[7] | Senator | Last election[c] |
IE Feb. 13, 2025[8] |
Cook Feb. 13, 2025[9] |
Sabato Mar. 12, 2025[10] |
WH Mar. 26, 2025[11] |
| Alabama | R+15 | Tommy Tuberville | 60.10% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Alaska | R+8 | Dan Sullivan | 53.90% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Tilt R |
| Arkansas | R+16 | Tom Cotton | 66.53% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Colorado | D+4 | John Hickenlooper | 53.50% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| Delaware | D+7 | Chris Coons | 59.44% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| Florida (special) |
R+3 | Ashley Moody | Appointed (2025)[d] | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Lean R |
| Georgia | R+3 | Jon Ossoff | 50.62% D | Battleground | Tossup | Tossup | Tilt D |
| Idaho | R+18 | Jim Risch | 62.62% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Illinois | D+7 | Dick Durbin | 54.93% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| Iowa | R+6 | Joni Ernst | 51.74% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Likely R |
| Kansas | R+10 | Roger Marshall | 53.22% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Likely R |
| Kentucky | R+16 | Mitch McConnell (retiring) |
57.76% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Louisiana | R+12 | Bill Cassidy | 59.32% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Maine | D+2 | Susan Collins | 50.98% R | Battleground | Lean R | Lean R | Tilt D (flip) |
| Massachusetts | D+15 | Ed Markey | 66.15% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| Michigan | R+1 | Gary Peters (retiring) |
49.90% D | Battleground | Tossup | Tossup | Tilt D |
| Minnesota | D+1 | Tina Smith (retiring) |
48.74% D | Battleground | Lean D | Lean D | Lean D |
| Mississippi | R+11 | Cindy Hyde-Smith | 54.11% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Montana | R+11 | Steve Daines | 55.01% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Likely R |
| Nebraska | R+13 | Pete Ricketts | 62.58% R (2024 sp.)[e] | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| New Hampshire | D+1 | Jeanne Shaheen (retiring) |
56.64% D | Battleground | Lean D | Lean D | Tilt D |
| New Jersey | D+6 | Cory Booker | 57.23% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| New Mexico | D+3 | Ben Ray Luján | 51.73% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Likely D |
| North Carolina | R+3 | Thom Tillis | 48.69% R | Battleground | Lean R | Tossup | Tossup |
| Ohio (special) |
R+6 | Jon Husted | Appointed (2025)[f] | Solid R | Likely R | Likely R | Tossup |
| Oklahoma | R+20 | Markwayne Mullin | 61.77% R (2022 sp.)[g] | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Oregon | D+6 | Jeff Merkley | 56.91% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| Rhode Island | D+8 | Jack Reed | 66.48% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| South Carolina | R+8 | Lindsey Graham | 54.44% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Likely R |
| South Dakota | R+16 | Mike Rounds | 65.74% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Tennessee | R+14 | Bill Hagerty | 62.20% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Texas | R+5 | John Cornyn | 53.51% R | Solid R | Solid R | Likely R | Lean R |
| Virginia | D+3 | Mark Warner | 55.99% D | Solid D | Solid D | Safe D | Safe D |
| West Virginia | R+22 | Shelley Moore Capito | 70.28% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Wyoming | R+25 | Cynthia Lummis | 71.13% R | Solid R | Solid R | Safe R | Safe R |
| Overall[h] | D/I - 43 R - 51 6 Battlegrounds | D/I - 45 R - 53 2 Tossups | D/I - 45 R - 52 3 Tossups | D/I - 48 R - 50 2 Tossups | |||
Race summary
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Perspective
Special elections during the preceding Congress
In each special election, the winner's term begins immediately after their election is certified by their state's government.
Elections are sorted by date then state.
| Constituency | Incumbent | Status | Candidates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | PVI[12] | Senator | Party | Electoral history | ||
| Florida (Class 3) |
R+3 | Ashley Moody | Republican | 2025 (appointed) | Interim appointee running |
|
| Ohio (Class 3) |
R+6 | Jon Husted | Republican | 2025 (appointed) | Interim appointee's intent unknown |
|
Elections leading to the next Congress
In these general elections, the winners will be elected for the term beginning January 3, 2027.
| Constituency | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State (linked to summaries below) |
PVI[15] | Senator | Party | Electoral history | Last race | ||
| Alabama | R+15 | Tommy Tuberville | Republican | 2020 | 60.1% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Alaska | R+8 | Dan Sullivan | Republican | 2014 2020 |
53.9% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Arkansas | R+16 | Tom Cotton | Republican | 2014 2020 |
66.5% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Colorado | D+4 | John Hickenlooper | Democratic | 2020 | 53.5% D | Incumbent running |
|
| Delaware | D+7 | Chris Coons | Democratic | 2010 (special) 2014 2020 |
59.4% D | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Georgia | R+3 | Jon Ossoff | Democratic | 2021 | 50.6% D | Incumbent running |
|
| Idaho | R+18 | Jim Risch | Republican | 2008 2014 2020 |
62.6% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Illinois | D+7 | Dick Durbin | Democratic | 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 |
54.9% D | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Iowa | R+6 | Joni Ernst | Republican | 2014 2020 |
51.7% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Kansas | R+10 | Roger Marshall | Republican | 2020 | 53.2% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Kentucky | R+16 | Mitch McConnell | Republican | 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 |
57.8% R | Incumbent retiring[3] |
|
| Louisiana | R+12 | Bill Cassidy | Republican | 2014 2020 |
59.3% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Maine | D+2 | Susan Collins | Republican | 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 |
51.0% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Massachusetts | D+15 | Ed Markey | Democratic | 2013 (special) 2014 2020 |
66.2% D | Incumbent running | |
| Michigan | R+1 | Gary Peters | Democratic | 2014 2020 |
49.9% D | Incumbent retiring[4] |
|
| Minnesota | D+1 | Tina Smith | DFL | 2018 (appointed) 2018 (special) 2020 |
48.7% DFL | Incumbent retiring[5] |
|
| Mississippi | R+11 | Cindy Hyde-Smith | Republican | 2018 (appointed) 2018 (special) 2020 |
54.1% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Montana | R+11 | Steve Daines | Republican | 2014 2020 |
55.0% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Nebraska | R+13 | Pete Ricketts | Republican | 2023 (appointed) 2024 (special) |
62.6% R | Incumbent running |
|
| New Hampshire | D+1 | Jeanne Shaheen | Democratic | 2008 2014 2020 |
56.6% D | Incumbent retiring[6] |
|
| New Jersey | D+6 | Cory Booker | Democratic | 2013 (special) 2014 2020 |
57.2% D | Incumbent running |
|
| New Mexico | D+3 | Ben Ray Luján | Democratic | 2020 | 51.7% D | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| North Carolina | R+3 | Thom Tillis | Republican | 2014 2020 |
48.7% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Oklahoma | R+20 | Markwayne Mullin | Republican | 2022 (special) | 61.8% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Oregon | D+6 | Jeff Merkley | Democratic | 2008 2014 2020 |
56.9% D | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Rhode Island | D+8 | Jack Reed | Democratic | 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 |
66.5% D | Incumbent running | |
| South Carolina | R+8 | Lindsey Graham | Republican | 2002 2008 2014 2020 |
54.4% R | Incumbent running |
|
| South Dakota | R+16 | Mike Rounds | Republican | 2014 2020 |
65.7% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Tennessee | R+14 | Bill Hagerty | Republican | 2020 | 62.2% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Texas | R+5 | John Cornyn | Republican | 2002 2008 2014 2020 |
53.5% R | Incumbent running |
|
| Virginia | D+3 | Mark Warner | Democratic | 2008 2014 2020 |
56.0% D | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| West Virginia | R+22 | Shelley Moore Capito | Republican | 2014 2020 |
70.3% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
| Wyoming | R+25 | Cynthia Lummis | Republican | 2020 | 72.8% R | Incumbent's intent unknown |
|
Alabama
One-term Republican Tommy Tuberville has stated he plans to seek re-election.[16] He was elected in 2020 with 60.1% of the vote. Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones (2018–2021), who was defeated for reelection by Tuberville in 2020, is seen as a potential Democratic candidate.[53]
Alaska
Two-term Republican Dan Sullivan was re-elected in 2020 with 53.9% of the vote. Despite filing paperwork to run for her old seat,[54] former Democratic U.S. Representative Mary Peltola has also expressed interest in running for the Senate.[55][56] Former state Senator Tom Begich has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.[57]
Arkansas
Two-term Republican Tom Cotton was re-elected in 2020 with 66.5% of the vote. Democratic activist and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 and 2022, Dan Whitfield, has announced his campaign.[58][59]
Colorado
One-term Democrat John Hickenlooper, elected with 53.5% of the vote in 2020, has stated that he plans to run for re-election, and further stated that it will be his last term.[18][60][61]
Delaware
Three-term Democrat Chris Coons was re-elected in 2020 with 59.4% of the vote.
Florida (special)
Three-term Republican Marco Rubio was re-elected in 2022 with 57.68% of the vote. He resigned on January 20, 2025, following his confirmation as United States Secretary of State. Governor Ron DeSantis announced he would appoint state Attorney General Ashley Moody as an interim successor to serve until the vacancy is filled by a special election in 2026.[62]
Georgia
One-term Democrat Jon Ossoff is running for a second term in office.[20] He was narrowly elected in a 2021 runoff with 50.6% of the vote.
U.S. Representative for Georgia's 1st congressional district Buddy Carter has publicly expressed interest in running.[63][64][65] Outgoing Governor Brian Kemp, who will be term-limited in 2026, is widely seen as a potential candidate for the Republican nomination.[65] U.S. Representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district Marjorie Taylor Greene is reported to be considering running for the seat.[66] Lt. Governor Burt Jones[67] and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger are also seen as potential contenders.[68]
Idaho
Three-term Republican Jim Risch was re-elected in 2020 with 62.6% of the vote.
Illinois
Five-term Democrat and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin was re-elected in 2020 with 54.9% of the vote. Durbin has filed paperwork to run for re-election. Should Durbin be re-elected to a sixth term, he would become the longest-serving senator from Illinois, surpassing Senator Shelby M. Cullom, who served five terms before losing the Republican renomination in 1912.
Durbin has stated he will make a decision on whether to retire after the first of the year in 2025.[69] If Durbin retires, Members of Congress Robin Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14) are widely seen as potential Democratic candidates.[64][69] Other potential candidates for the Democratic nomination include Governor J. B. Pritzker,[70] state Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, state Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, state Treasurer Mike Frerichs[71] and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.[72]
Potential Republican candidates include Darin LaHood.[71]
Iowa
Two-term Republican Joni Ernst was re-elected in 2020 with 51.7% of the vote. She plans to run for a third term.[21] State Attorney General Brenna Bird is viewed as a potential challenger from the right.[73] Talk show host Steve Deace has expressed interest in challenging Ernst for the Republican nomination.[74]
Kansas
One-term Republican Roger Marshall was elected in 2020 with 53.2% of the vote. There was some speculation that Governor Laura Kelly might run against Marshall; however, she has stated that she does not intend to run.[75]
Kentucky
Summarize
Perspective
Seven-term Republican and former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was re-elected in 2020 with 57.8% of the vote. McConnell retired as leader after the 2024 elections with plans to serve out the remainder of his term.[76] On February 20, 2025, McConnell announced he will not seek re-election.[3]
On February 20, 2025, Former state Attorney General and 2023 Republican gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron announced that is running to succeed McConnell. Other potential Republican candidates include Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky's 6th congressional district, state Auditor Allison Ball, state Attorney General Russell Coleman, Secretary of State Michael Adams, former United Nations Ambassador and 2023 Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft, and businessman Nate Morris. U.S. Representative James Comer has declined to run.[77]
Though there was some speculation that Governor Andy Beshear might seek the open seat, he has stated he does not intend to run, citing his desire to finish his second term as governor.[77][78] Democratic state Representative Pamela Stevenson declared her candidacy in his stead.[79]
Louisiana
Two-term Republican Bill Cassidy was re-elected in 2020 with 59.3% of the vote in the first round of the "Louisiana primary" and is running for re-election to a third term.[26] Louisiana State Treasurer and former U.S. Representative John Fleming has announced his primary campaign against Cassidy.[27] U.S. Representative Clay Higgins is considered a potential Republican challenger.[80]
Former Governor John Bel Edwards is considered a potential Democratic candidate.[81][82]
This will be the first election under a new law which abolished the state's open primary system. Party primaries will be closed off to non-party members, though voters not affiliated with a party can vote in them.[83]
Maine
Five-term Republican Susan Collins was re-elected with 51% of the vote in 2020. She is running for a sixth term. Should Collins be re-elected, she would become the longest-serving senator from Maine, surpassing Senator William P. Frye, who served one partial term, four full terms, and another partial term before he died in 1911.[84] U.S. Representative for Maine's 1st congressional district Chellie Pingree is considering a run for the seat,[64] while Governor Janet Mills, who is term-limited,[85] and U.S. Representative Jared Golden[86] are potential candidates.
Massachusetts
Two-term Democrat Ed Markey was re-elected in 2020 with 66.2% of the vote and is running for re-election to a third full term.[32][87] Markey, the longest-serving Democrat in Congress, would be 80 years old on Election Day. Markey faced multiple calls to step aside due to his age during the Democratic primary for the seat in 2020.[88][89][90]
Michigan
Two-term Democrat Gary Peters was narrowly re-elected in 2020 with 49.9% of the vote. On January 28, 2025, he announced that he will not seek re-election.[4]
Possible Democratic candidates include state Attorney General Dana Nessel, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, and state Senator Mallory McMorrow.[91]
Possible Republican candidates include former Congressman Mike Rogers, former steel company executive Tudor Dixon,[92] Congressman Bill Huizenga, and state Senator Jonathan Lindsey.[93]
On March 25, 2025. Scholten announced that she would not be a candidate.[94]
Minnesota
One-term Democrat Tina Smith was re-elected in 2020 with 48.7% of the vote after being appointed by Governor Mark Dayton in 2018 following the resignation of Al Franken and subsequently winning a special election that same year. On February 13, 2025, she announced she would not be seeking a second full term in the 2026 Senate election.[5] Incumbent lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan announced her candidacy the same day.[95] Former state Senator Melisa López Franzen (DFL) announced her candidacy in March.[34] U.S. Representatives Angie Craig and Ilhan Omar have been considered potential candidates.[96]
2024 Republican U.S. Senate nominee Royce White has announced his candidacy.[97] Potential Republican candidates include state Senator Julia Coleman and attorney Ryan Wilson, who ran for Minnesota State Auditor in 2022.[98]
Mississippi
One-term Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith was re-elected in 2020 with 54.1% of the vote after being appointed in 2018 and subsequently winning a special election that same year. She is running for a second full term in office.[37]
Montana
Two-term Republican Steve Daines was re-elected in 2020 with 55% of the vote.
Former state Representative Reilly Neill is running for the Democratic nomination.[39] Former Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who was defeated in 2024, has not ruled out running for political office again.[99]
Nebraska
Two-term Republican Ben Sasse resigned early in the 118th Congress to become president of the University of Florida.[100] Former Governor Pete Ricketts was appointed as interim senator on January 12, 2023, by Governor Jim Pillen.[101] He won the 2024 special election to serve the remainder of Sasse's term, defeating Preston Love Jr.[102] Ricketts is running for re-election to his first full term.[40] Former labor union leader and independent Dan Osborn, who challenged Republican Deb Fischer in the election for Nebraska's Class I seat, is a potential candidate.[103]
New Hampshire
Three-term Democrat Jeanne Shaheen was re-elected in 2020 with 56.6% of the vote. On March 12, 2025, Shaheen announced that she would not seek re-election to a fourth term.[6]
Possible Democratic candidates include Congressman Chris Pappas, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, and former Congresswoman Annie Kuster.[104]
Former United States senator from Massachusetts (2010–2013) and U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa (2017–2020) Scott Brown is considering a run for the seat; Brown won the Republican primary and narrowly lost the general election against Shaheen in 2014.[105][106] Popular former Governor Chris Sununu stated that he has not ruled out being a candidate.[107]
New Jersey
Two-term Democrat Cory Booker was re-elected in 2020 with 57.2% of the vote and is running for re-election to a third full term.[41]
New Mexico
One-term Democrat Ben Ray Luján was elected in 2020 with 51.7% of the vote.
North Carolina
Summarize
Perspective
Two-term Republican Thom Tillis was narrowly re-elected in 2020 with 48.7% of the vote, and is planning to run for a third term. On June 10, 2023, the North Carolina Republican Party censured Tillis over his bipartisan support on gun control and same-sex marriage, and he is seen as vulnerable to a primary challenge.[108] Lara Trump, a Wilmington native who in 2024 resigned from her post as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, removed herself from consideration for Florida's soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat and said that she would make a "big announcement" in January, prompting speculation about her intentions to run for this seat.[109]
Former U.S. Representative Wiley Nickel and former Governor Roy Cooper both publicly expressed their interest in running for the Democratic nomination.[110][111] In July 2024, after reporting that the Kamala Harris presidential campaign might select him as vice presidential nominee, Cooper publicly withdrew himself from consideration, furthering speculation that he may be planning to run for the Senate.[112] Although former lieutenant governor and 2024 Republican governor nominee Mark Robinson has been considered a potential candidate to primary Thom Tillis, he has said that running for a future political office is "not on [his] radar at all."[113]
Ohio (special)
One-term Republican JD Vance was elected in 2022 with 53% of the vote.[114] On January 10, 2025, he resigned from the Senate following his election as Vice President of the United States alongside then-former President Donald Trump in 2024. Governor Mike DeWine announced Vance's replacement in the Senate would be then-Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted on January 17.[115]
Vivek Ramaswamy first withdrew himself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment, then later declared his candidacy in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election.[116][117][118]
Former U.S. Representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district and previous Democratic nominee for the seat in 2022 Tim Ryan and former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown have expressed interest in running for the seat.[116][119] U.S. Representative for Ohio's 1st congressional district Greg Landsman has expressed interest in running for the seat if Brown does not run.[64]
Oklahoma
Incumbent Markwayne Mullin won a special election in 2022 with 61.8% of the vote to complete the remainder of the term vacated by Republican Jim Inhofe, who resigned on January 3, 2023.[120]
Oregon
Three-term Democrat Jeff Merkley was re-elected in 2020 with 56.9% of the vote.
Rhode Island
Five-term Democrat Jack Reed was re-elected in 2020 with 66.5% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a sixth term.[45]
South Carolina
Four-term Republican Lindsey Graham was re-elected in 2020 with 54.4% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a fifth term.[46] U.S. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman have been named as potential challengers for Graham in the Republican primary.[121] Democratic activist, author, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022, Catherine Fleming Bruce, has filed to run.[122]
South Dakota
Two-term Republican Mike Rounds was re-elected in 2020 with 65.7% of the vote.
Tennessee
One-term Republican Bill Hagerty was elected in 2020 with 62.2% of the vote. He is running for re-election to a second term in office.[49]
Texas
Four-term Republican John Cornyn was re-elected in 2020 with 53.5% of the vote and is running for a 5th term in 2026.[50] Republican U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson and Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton have expressed interest in running.[123][124][125] U.S. Representative for Texas's 24th congressional district Beth Van Duyne and state Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham are seen as potential Republican candidates if Cornyn retires.[125]
Virginia
Three-term Democrat Mark Warner was re-elected in 2020 with 56% of the vote. Governor Glenn Youngkin, who will leave office in early 2026, is considered a potential candidate for Republicans.[126][127]
West Virginia
Two-term Republican Shelley Moore Capito was re-elected in 2020 with 70.3% of the vote. Former state Delegate Derrick Evans, who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, has announced his campaign to primary Capito.[128]
Independent Senator Joe Manchin, who served from 2010 to 2025 and was widely floated as a potential presidential nominee for the No Labels ticket in 2024, has not ruled out a run for office in 2026.[129]
Wyoming
One-term Republican Cynthia Lummis was elected in 2020 with 72.8% of the vote.
See also
Notes
- Majority control in an evenly divided Senate is determined by the Vice President of the United States, who has the power to break tied votes in their constitutional capacity as President of the Senate; accordingly, Senate control requires 51 seats or 50 seats with control of the vice presidency.
- Both independent senators (Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Angus King of Maine) caucus with the Democrats.
- The last elections for this group of senators were in 2020, except for those elected in a special election or who were appointed after the resignation or death of a sitting senator, as noted.
- Republican Marco Rubio won with 57.7% of the vote in 2022, but resigned on January 20, 2025, after being confirmed to become Secretary of State.
- Republican Ben Sasse won with 67.2% of the vote in 2020, but resigned on January 8, 2023, to be president of the University of Florida.
- Republican JD Vance won with 53.0% of the vote in 2022, but resigned on January 10, 2025, to become Vice President of the United States.
- Republican Jim Inhofe won with 62.9% of the vote in 2020, but resigned at the end of the 117th United States Congress.
- Democratic total includes Independents who caucus with the Democrats.
References
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