Midterms · Pre-election coverage
A source-linked record of the campaign, candidates, individual polls, key dates, and, when voting begins, the count for control of Congress. No forecasts, race ratings, polling averages, or win probabilities. How the desk works
Updates paused since Aug 15, 2026. Later primaries, polls, and campaign news are not reflected yet.
As of
The general-election field is taking shape while several late primaries and runoffs remain. Control of both chambers is at stake on November 3.
Sources: Federal Election Commission, Associated Press
Tuesday · 34 days away
Federal general election date. Source: Federal Election Commission
435 seats on the ballot
Every voting House seat is elected to a two-year term. Source: U.S. House of Representatives
Seats now, before the election
218 Republican212 Democratic1 Independent4 vacant
Republicans hold 218, exactly the 218 needed for a majority. Democrats have 212 and would need 6 more seats. Four seats were vacant in the House source update.
As of . Source: House Radio-TV Gallery
Left and right views: House majority, U.S. House
35 contests on the ballot
The regular Class II elections plus special elections in Florida and Ohio. Source: Federal Election Commission
Seats now, before the election
53 Republican45 Democratic2 Independent
Republicans hold 53, 2 more than the 51 needed for a majority. Democrats and the independents who caucus with them have 47 and would need 4 more seats. The two independents caucus with Democrats.
As of . Source: U.S. Senate Daily Press
Left and right views: Senate control, U.S. Senate
AP reported unusually high Democratic primary participation in Wisconsin and Michigan, with strong turnout earlier in Texas and Georgia.
Why it matters: Primary participation is not a general-election forecast, but it is a measurable sign of organizing strength and voter attention.
The third-place finisher in the special primary backed the appointed senator over Rep. Ralph Norman.
Why it matters: The endorsement adds another prominent Republican to Graham’s side before the August 25 runoff.
Shomari Figures and Rhett Marques advanced to a November contest in a district redrawn after a Supreme Court ruling.
Why it matters: The race tests whether a changed map can alter the House balance in a closely divided chamber.
Darline Graham and Ralph Norman advanced to an August 25 Republican runoff for the open Senate term.
Why it matters: The runoff determines the Republican nominee in a compressed special-election calendar.
Democratic nominee Scott Colom is challenging Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith as both parties reassess the size of the competitive map.
Why it matters: Attention is not a forecast, but spending and candidate activity outside the original battlegrounds can reshape each party’s path to 51 seats.
Elaine Luria advanced to a rematch with Jen Kiggans in District 2, while Shannon Taylor will challenge Rob Wittman in District 1.
Why it matters: Virginia’s competitive districts are part of the narrow national contest for House control.
Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary and will face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in November.
Why it matters: The open seat is one Democrats must defend while also seeking the pickups needed for a Senate majority.
Party delegates selected the former state Senate president after the original nominee withdrew.
Why it matters: Jackson now has a shortened campaign against Susan Collins in a race central to the Democratic Senate path.
AP counted a potential net Republican advantage from enacted map changes while court challenges and pending maps remained unresolved.
Why it matters: District boundaries determine which voters choose each representative, so a national generic ballot cannot describe the House contest by itself.
34 days away
Federal general election
All 435 U.S. House seats and the scheduled U.S. Senate contests are on the ballot.
Source: Federal Election Commission
This list records dates, not outcomes. Reported outcomes appear under the latest campaign developments.
15 days ago
Delaware congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
21 days ago
Rhode Island congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
22 days ago
New Hampshire congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
29 days ago
Massachusetts congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
36 days ago
Georgia House District 13 special runoff
Everton Blair Jr. and Marcye Scott compete to finish the late Rep. David Scott's term.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Oklahoma runoff-primary election
Statewide runoff-primary day. Ballot availability depends on local and party contests; polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Source: Oklahoma State Election Board
South Carolina Senate special runoff
Darline Graham and Ralph Norman compete for the Republican nomination.
Source: Associated Press
43 days ago
Alaska congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
California House District 14 special runoff
Special-election runoff for a vacant U.S. House seat.
Source: Federal Election Commission
Florida congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
Wyoming congressional primary
U.S. House and Senate primary contests.
Source: Federal Election Commission
Contests this desk is following, listed by office and date. Inclusion is not a rating of how competitive a race is. Candidate photos are file portraits, not evidence.
Darline GrahamRepublican, incumbent
Ralph NormanRepublicanAppointed Sen. Darline Graham and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman advanced from a 10-candidate special primary.
Why it matters The compressed runoff chooses the Republican nominee for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s seat.
This runoff was held Aug 25, 2026. Its result is not recorded on this desk yet.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Darline Graham (Official portrait via Wikimedia Commons; Public domain); Ralph Norman (Wikimedia Commons; See file page)
Left and right views: South Carolina U.S. Senate Republican runoff, Darline Graham, Ralph Norman
Jon OssoffDemocrat, incumbent
Mike CollinsRepublicanDemocratic Sen. Jon Ossoff will face Republican Rep. Mike Collins.
Why it matters Ossoff is the only Democratic senator seeking reelection in a state Donald Trump carried in 2024.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Jon Ossoff, Mike Collins (Wikimedia Commons; See file page)
Left and right views: Georgia U.S. Senate, Jon Ossoff, Mike Collins
Susan CollinsRepublican, incumbent
Troy JacksonDemocratRepublican Sen. Susan Collins will face Democratic former state Senate President Troy Jackson.
Why it matters Maine is central to the Democratic pickup path, but Jackson entered after the original nominee withdrew.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Susan Collins, Troy Jackson (Wikimedia Commons; See file page)
Left and right views: Maine U.S. Senate, Susan Collins, Troy Jackson
Abdul El-SayedDemocrat
Mike RogersRepublicanAbdul El-Sayed will face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers for an open Senate seat.
Why it matters Democrats are defending an open seat in a presidential battleground while trying to gain four seats nationally.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Abdul El-Sayed (Conlan Houston; CC BY-SA 4.0); Mike Rogers (Wikimedia Commons; See file page)
Left and right views: Michigan U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, Mike Rogers
Cindy Hyde-SmithRepublican, incumbentRepublican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith will face Democratic nominee Scott Colom.
Why it matters National attention on Mississippi shows the Senate map expanding beyond its initial battlegrounds, without making the race a forecast.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Cindy Hyde-Smith (Wikimedia Commons; See file page)
Left and right views: Mississippi U.S. Senate, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Scott Colom
James TalaricoDemocrat
Ken PaxtonRepublicanDemocratic state Rep. James Talarico will face Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Why it matters A competitive Texas contest would force both parties to spend beyond the traditional Senate battleground map.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: James Talarico (Antonioaesparza; CC BY-SA 4.0); Ken Paxton (Wikimedia Commons; See file page)
Left and right views: Texas U.S. Senate, James Talarico, Ken Paxton
Shomari FiguresDemocrat, incumbent
Rhett MarquesRepublicanDemocratic incumbent Shomari Figures will face Republican state Rep. Rhett Marques under a redrawn district map.
Why it matters The redrawn district is part of a broader fight over whether court-ordered maps change the narrow House balance.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Shomari Figures (Wikimedia Commons; See file page); Rhett Marques (Alabama Legislature; Public domain)
Left and right views: Alabama U.S. House District 2, Shomari Figures, Rhett Marques
Jen KiggansRepublican, incumbent
Elaine LuriaDemocratRepublican Rep. Jen Kiggans will face former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in a rematch.
Why it matters The coastal swing district is one of the seats that could decide a closely divided House.
Source: Associated Press,
Photos: Jen Kiggans (Wikimedia Commons; See file page); Elaine Luria (U.S. House of Representatives; Public domain)
Left and right views: Virginia U.S. House District 2, Jen Kiggans, Elaine Luria
Each row is a single poll exactly as its pollster published it, with field dates, sample, and margin of error. We do not average, adjust, rate, or forecast. A lead smaller than about twice the margin of error is within the poll's own uncertainty. How we treat polls
| Pollster and sample | Democratic candidate | Republican candidate | Lead | Chart of the same numbers, visual only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economist/ | 46% | 40% | D +6 | |
| Reuters/ | 42% | 37% | D +5 | |
| Marquette Law School PollGeneric congressional ballot among likely voters. Methodology | 51% | 45% | D +6 | |
| CNNGeneric congressional ballot among adults. | 47% | 39% | D +8 | |
| Emerson College PollingGeneric congressional ballot among likely 2026 voters. | 53% | 42% | D +11 | |
| Fox NewsGeneric congressional ballot among registered voters. | 53% | 46% | D +7 | |
| Rasmussen ReportsGeneric congressional ballot among likely voters. Methodology | 46% | 42% | D +4 | |
| Marquette Law School PollGeneric congressional ballot among registered voters who said they were absolutely certain to vote. Methodology | 53% | 45% | D +8 |
Left and right views: Generic ballot
Method Online panel with The Economist.
Track record Ballotpedia's 2025 538 table: 3 stars, online.
How to read it This is an online panel of registered voters, not a likely-voter telephone survey. Compare like with like.
Sources: Ballotpedia pollster contact methods and 538 grades; YouGov / Economist polls
Left and right views: Economist/YouGov
Method Online, usually a giant sample.
Track record Ballotpedia's 2025 538 table: 2.8 stars, online.
How to read it A large sample can narrow the stated sampling error, but it does not erase differences between online and telephone methods.
Sources: Ballotpedia pollster contact methods and 538 grades; Ipsos / Reuters polls
Left and right views: Reuters/Ipsos
Method University survey with published methodology.
Track record Silver Bulletin rates Marquette alongside other established national pollsters. 538 previously gave it 2.9 stars and a perfect transparency score.
How to read it The methods are unusually transparent, but one release is still one measurement. Compare its dates and sample population with the others.
Sources: Silver Bulletin pollster ratings, January 2026; Marquette on its 538 rating; Marquette Law School Poll
Left and right views: Marquette Law School Poll
Method Live phone. Sometimes they ask adults, not likely voters.
Track record Ballotpedia's 2025 538 table: 2.8 stars, live phone.
How to read it An adult sample includes people who may not vote. Do not compare it directly with a likely-voter release and call the difference a trend.
Sources: Ballotpedia pollster contact methods and 538 grades; CNN Polling Center
Left and right views: CNN
Method Telephone survey released frequently.
Track record Ballotpedia's 2025 reproduction of the 538 table lists Emerson at 2.9 stars.
How to read it A frequent release can be useful without representing the whole country. Keep its population, dates, and margin of error attached.
Sources: Ballotpedia pollster contact methods and 538 grades; Emerson College Polling
Left and right views: Emerson College Polling
Method Live phone.
Track record Ballotpedia lists Fox as live phone and left the 538 star box blank in that 2025 table.
How to read it A news-network phone poll. Blank grade means we do not invent one.
Sources: Ballotpedia pollster contact methods and 538 grades; Fox News official polls
Left and right views: Fox News
Method Robocall plus web, per Ballotpedia.
Track record Ballotpedia's 2025 538 table left Rasmussen ungraded. Silver Bulletin defines a pollster effect as how one firm's results compare with other polls.
How to read it Its automated-call and web method differs from Marquette's. A disagreement can reflect recurring pollster and sample differences, not a hidden official count.
Sources: Ballotpedia pollster contact methods and 538 grades; Silver Bulletin on pollster effects; Rasmussen methodology
Left and right views: Rasmussen Reports
How the broad Democratic-aligned left and the broad Republican-aligned right describe each issue: a dated editorial synthesis of recurring positions, checked against current partisan polling. It is not a mathematical average, neither side is uniform, and neither column is declared right. How this works
6 issues · research cutoff
Cut household bills and challenge concentrated power
The broad Democratic coalition argues that affordability requires rolling back tariffs, extending health-insurance help, lowering drug, housing, energy, and care costs, and strengthening workers rather than relying mainly on tax cuts.
Sources: New Democrat Coalition, American Promise; Congressional Progressive Caucus affordability agenda; Washington Post-Ipsos July 2026 poll
Use tax relief, domestic energy, choice, and less regulation
The broad Republican coalition argues that lower taxes, more energy production, spending restraint, deregulation, and consumer choice will lower costs more durably than new subsidies or federal programs.
Sources: Republican Study Committee 2026 affordability framework; House Ways and Means Republicans on July 2026 prices; Pew Research Center 2026 midterm issues
Secure the border, narrow enforcement, expand lawful routes
The broad Democratic coalition supports border staffing and technology but argues for targeted, accountable enforcement, faster case processing, legal migration, and durable status for Dreamers rather than mass or indiscriminate enforcement.
Sources: New Democrat Coalition, American Promise; House Democrats on ICE accountability; AP-NORC on immigration enforcement
Enforce the border first and remove policy loopholes
The broad Republican coalition supports more ICE and Border Patrol capacity, stricter asylum and parole rules, deportation, and penalties for sanctuary policies; its hardest-line wing also calls for pausing or reducing legal immigration.
Sources: House Republican 2026 summer agenda; Rep. Chip Roy letter on the conservative border agenda; AP-NORC on immigration enforcement
Protect and expand coverage, then bargain down prices
The broad Democratic coalition supports restoring Medicaid and Medicare coverage, extending ACA assistance, limiting out-of-pocket and drug costs, and protecting reproductive care; its progressive wing wants a path to universal public coverage.
Sources: New Democrat Coalition, American Promise; Congressional Progressive Caucus affordability agenda; Pew Research Center 2026 midterm issues
Expand choice, savings accounts, and price competition
The broad Republican coalition favors health savings accounts, more plan types, direct primary care, price transparency, tighter subsidy eligibility, and state flexibility instead of expanding federal coverage guarantees.
Sources: House Ways and Means Republican health plan; Republican Study Committee health framework; AP-NORC on current health-policy approval
Restore a national floor for reproductive choice
The broad Democratic coalition treats abortion as health care and personal liberty, supports nationwide access including medication abortion, and wants federal protection against restrictive state laws while also defending contraception and IVF.
Sources: House Democrats on reproductive freedom; New Democrat Coalition, American Promise; Economist-YouGov June 2026 abortion survey
Protect fetal life, with real disagreement over the rule
The broad Republican coalition favors more abortion limits and describes the issue in terms of fetal life, but ranges from state-level restrictions and opposition to later abortion to religious conservatives who want abortion illegal in most cases.
Sources: Republican Party platform; Pew 2026 political typology; Economist-YouGov June 2026 abortion survey
Protect access and reject documentation traps
The broad Democratic coalition supports voting-rights enforcement, wider access, and election safeguards; many Democrats accept photo ID in principle but oppose proof-of-citizenship and voter-roll provisions they say could block eligible citizens.
Sources: New Democrat Coalition, American Promise; AP on the 2026 voter-ID dispute; Pew on voter ID, early voting, and mail voting
Require ID and citizenship proof to raise confidence
The broad Republican coalition supports nationwide photo ID, documentary proof of citizenship for registration, cleaner voter rolls, and tighter mail-voting rules, describing them as baseline election-security measures.
Sources: House Administration Republicans on voter ID; AP on the 2026 voter-ID dispute; Pew on voter ID, early voting, and mail voting
End or constrain the war and restore Congress's role
The broad Democratic coalition argues that the military campaign lacked proper congressional authorization, should be curtailed through war-powers oversight and diplomacy, and is worsening household costs while competing with domestic priorities.
Sources: House Democrats on the Iran War Powers Resolution; House Democrats on war spending and health care; Pew on partisan views of military action in Iran
Back force against Iran, but argue over duration and cost
The broad Republican coalition is more supportive of the military campaign and an America First national-security posture, saying force can prevent a nuclear threat; a meaningful minority questions the war's results, duration, or price.
Sources: AP on congressional Republican support and dissent; Pew on partisan views of military action in Iran; Pew on Iran-war concerns
Two-column guides for issues, institutions, races, and candidates, built from named campaigns, officials, surveys, and outlets. Each is dated; none is a score or a claim about every voter.
No votes reported yet
No votes have been reported. General-election returns begin Nov 3, 2026, 34 days away.
Returns appear here only after an election office or a named reporting source publishes them. Reported votes, media race calls, and official certification are labeled separately. Polls are never results.
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