U.S. election contests to watch in 2026

LAST YEAR PROVIDED SOME HOPE for a bruised Democratic Party looking for a way forward. Following offseason election victories on Nov. 4, the party may look to take advantage of public frustration with the economic policies of a Republican Party that controls the Executive and Legislative Branches of government.

- - REBECCA SCHNEID

Heading into the midterms, all 435 districts in the House of Representatives and 33 seats in the U.S. Senate are up for election. Here are the key races to watch.

GOVERNOR President Donald Trump has cut federal support for diversity, health care, climate, and LGBTQ+ rights. But states can make their own laws, so gubernatorial races loom especially large.