Midterm Races Will Determine the Majorities
With the 2026 midterm elections coming up, students may wonder why they matter and which races are the most crucial. Midterm elections take place halfway through a presidential term. Many Senate seats and all of the seats in the House of Representatives are up for election. There may be local and state elections
depending on the area.
The Young Republicans Club stated, “Midterm elections serve as a two year check on the presidents and party's choices, offering a gauge of where the public stands midway through an administration. Because the incumbent party historically faces major losses in Congress, control of both the House and Senate hangs in the balance, therefore making these races a huge factor in whether a president can enact legislation in his last two years.”
Vice President of Young Democrats Sloane Burnett ’27 said, “I think midterms are crucial so that voters can determine who controls Congress, especially if there is general discontent surrounding the actions of the president at any given time.”
With all of the seats in the House up for election, each party battles for control over Congress. The most important races that decide the majority in the Senate are called battleground states, with examples
such as Texas, Alaska, Iowa and Ohio, according to CBS News. Currently, the Senate is controlled by the Republicans, but the Democrats only need four more seats to make up the difference. The Young Republicans are following “the Senate race between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic candidate James Talarico to see shifting demographics. Also, Rust Belt races, like former Congressman Mike Rogers against progressive Abdul El-Sayed
in Michigan and Jon Husted challenging Democratic Sherrod Brown in Ohio will determine the balance of power in the rest of the country.”
Similarly, Burnett is following the Texas senate race as well as Amy Acton and Vivek Ramaswamy for governor of Ohio.
In the House, NBC News says Ohio, California, Iowa, Michigan and Florida are all the most important states with the most available seats, so they are each party’s best shot at getting control of the House. Currently, according to Fox News and NBC News, the Democrats are projected to win the House while the Senate is a toss-up.
As for issues that she cares about during this election cycle, Burnett said that “the cost of living in America is definitely top of mind.” She also has thought a lot about the presidency, and she looks forward to the possibility of having members of Congress “with differing opinions, not ones that blindly defend the president.”
The Young Republicans said, “Voters are evaluating candidate platforms through the lens of economic pressure, prioritizing tangible issues like gas prices, grocery costs and housing affordability before border security and immigration reform for those entering legally.” The Young Republicans “maintain [their] core values of liberty, democracy and freedom,” said the group members. They are “curious to see the pull of progressive left-wing candidates and Democratic Socialists, and are watching how Americans vote when Donald Trump is not on the ballot and not every Republican candidate is on his side."
On a local level, in Maryland, the Governor and Attorney General positions are both up for election while in Virginia only the Senate and the House are up for election during these midterms, according to NBC News.
You can stay updated on the races through local news apps, such as Fox News through 270 to Win, NBC News, CBS News and “The New York Times.” Or even just a quick scroll through Apple News can give you information fast. Remember, Election Day is November 3rd!
