CNN’s guide to the most important elections of 2026
This year’s midterms will not only shape the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency; they’ll determine what politics after Trump might start to look like.
TL;DR
- The midterms will impact Donald Trump's remaining presidential term and shape politics after him.
- Key primary and general election contests will determine control of Congress and influence the 2028 presidential race.
- Texas features high-profile Senate primaries and a gubernatorial race, offering clues about voter preferences.
- North Carolina's Senate race and Illinois's open Senate seat are significant contests.
- Ohio's Senate and gubernatorial races, involving figures like Sherrod Brown and Vivek Ramaswamy, are critical.
- Louisiana's partisan primary system and Georgia's Senate and gubernatorial races, featuring figures like Brad Raffensperger and Keisha Lance Bottoms, are closely watched.
- Kentucky's Senate primary reflects loyalty to Trump versus McConnell's legacy, while Thomas Massie faces a Trump-backed challenger.
- California's open gubernatorial race and Iowa's contests for governor and Senate offer insights into state-level politics.
- Maine's Senate race is a key Democratic target, while South Carolina's GOP gubernatorial primary gauges Republican sentiment.
- New York features a contested House race, and Michigan has open races for governor and Senate.
- Arizona's GOP gubernatorial primary and Minnesota's Senate and gubernatorial races highlight party directions.
- Wisconsin's open gubernatorial race and Massachusetts's Democratic Senate primary reveal party divisions.
- New Hampshire's GOP Senate primary offers a pickup opportunity for Republicans.
- Democrats need a net gain of three seats for House control and four for Senate majority.
- Redistricting efforts by both parties aim to preserve or gain electoral advantages.
- Thirty-six gubernatorial seats are up for election, with many serving as potential presidential battlegrounds in 2028.