After their summer recess, lawmakers will return to Washington in September with a closer eye on the 2026 midterm elections.
Several senators face tough primary battles. Others are on the way out, leaving their seats open—and increasing uncertainty in battleground state elections. Others face an electorate that tends to vote against their party.
Here are five major races to watch in 2026.
1. Georgia
In the Peach State, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) faces an electorate that backed President Donald Trump by 2.2 percentage points in 2024.
Trump was propelled in part by extremely high turnout in Georgia’s rural counties.
While the state has strong Republican roots, Democrats have increasingly made gains in Georgia, partly driven in recent years by the explosive growth of the Atlanta metropolitan area—where voters tend to favor Democrats….
5 Senate Races to Watch in 2026
