2 Quietly Run Democratic Senate Races Should Be On Your Midterm Radar

Republicans hold a slim majority in both houses of Congress. Democrats only need a net gain of four seats to gain a majority in the U.S. Senate.

The 2026 map presents structural challenges for all Democrats. The Republicans are defending 22 seats to 13 for the Democrats. Most of the seats held by Republicans are in states that lean heavily toward the party. Still, early polling and Republican spending patterns indicate that Democrats have two dark horse races that stand out from the rest.