2026 U.S. Senate Race Roundup

Eight Races to Determine Control of the Upper Chamber

By: Andrew Nick, Mason Votes Contributor

Photo of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. — *Looking up at the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C.* **Control of Congress is on the ballot on November 3rd, so don't forget to make a plan to VOTE!**

Control of both chambers of Congress is on the ballot in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, with all 435 House of Representatives seats and 35 Senate seats up for grabs on November 3rd. With just one week to go, many pundits agree that Democrats will retake power in the House. But control of the Senate is proving more difficult to predict.

The U.S. Senate—once thought of as a safe bet for Republicans to retain their slim majority—has become more and more competitive for Democrats over the past year. Eight states will determine who controls the upper chamber: Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Maine, Ohio, New Hampshire, Alaska, and Iowa. All but two of those races are incumbent Senators running for re-election, meaning voters get to decide to renew their contract or elect someone else.

Overall, the current 53-47 Republican Senate majority is going to be tested to see if it can withstand the usual midterm "shellacking" of second term presidents.

Before breaking up the elections into four categories—leaning Democrat, toss ups, leaning Republican, and Democrat reaches—one has to understand the underlying issues facing voters: high costs on everything from gas to groceries to homes, the ongoing war in Iran, and the unpopularity of President Trump.

Democrats will be attempting to convince voters that bringing a check on the president, lowering costs, and stopping the war will improve their lives, while Republicans will be trying to sell the idea that time will lower costs and their opponents do not have a clear vision. The ultimate judge—the voters—will render their verdict on November 3rd.

Click on each state below to learn more the race!

GEORGIA

The Candidates:

Democrat Jon Ossoff (incumbent) VS. Republican Mike Collins

Photo of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff — Jon Ossoff (D)

Photo of U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins — Mike Collins (R)

Ossoff: Mentored by the late Congressman John Lewis and raised in the Atlanta metro area, Ossoff was a legislative staffer for Representative Hank Johnson and later CEO of media company Insight TWI. Elected in 2020 in a race against a sitting incumbent, Ossoff is the youngest senator in the upper chamber at 39. He sits on the Judiciary, Appropriations, Rules and Administration, and Intelligence Committees.

Collins: Currently the representative of Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, he is a former president of his local Chamber of Commerce and a board member and chairman of a large Georgia credit union. He currently serves on the House Committees on Natural Resources, Science, Space and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure.

Notes from the campaign:

Spending money in constituent services, Senator Ossoff has invested in his ability to deliver results to constituents
Collins is underfunded by donations and the national party (the GOP is spending money to defend incumbents in other states)
Ossoff gained momentum with viral social media posts and speeches attacking the president, creating rumors about his intentions to become a presidential candidate in 2028
Ossoff has been tying Collins to the president, focusing on the cost of living and attacking Trump, leaving Collins struggling to gain traction with his messaging

Most likely to win: Polling has shown Senator Ossoff comfortably in the lead

NORTH CAROLINA

MICHIGAN

MAINE

TEXAS

OHIO

The Candidates:

Democrat Sherrod Brown VS. Republican Jon Husted (incumbent)

Photo of U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown — Sherrod Brown (D)

Photo of U.S. Senate candidate Jon Husted — Jon Husted (R)

Brown: Defeated in 2024 seeking a fourth term in the U.S. Senate, Brown is running to return to Washington. He lost by 3.5% to Bernie Moreno when President Trump won Ohio by 11.2%, vastly outperforming the top of the ticket. He has been a fixture in the Buckeye State: a former state representative in the Ohio House, secretary of state, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and first elected U.S. Senator in 2006. Brown was chairman of the Senate Banking Committee from 2021 to 2025, an economic populist, and largely outspoken for workers and unions.

Husted: Current U.S. Senator since 2025 when Governor Mike Dewine appointed him to fill the remainder of Vice President J.D. Vance’s senate term. Husted has also been a fixture in Ohio politics: former lieutenant governor, secretary of state, member of the Ohio House and Senate, and Speaker of the Ohio House. Prior to politics, Husted was Vice President of Business and Economic Development at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Notes from the campaign:

Ohio has one of the most competitive governors races, narrowing margins on the upper ballot and necessitating millions in ad spending from each party to promote their candidates
Due to Brown’s long career in Ohio politics, some voters do not know that Husted is the incumbent
Husted has been tied to data centers repeatedly—an issue proving to be one of the most unpopular in this cycle—despite his bill in Congress, The Ratepayer Protection Act, aimed at curbing electricity costs that failed to pass
Crypto companies have spent millions against Brown, a critic of the industry
There is no official Senate debate between the candidates
Polls have been back and forth, with Brown in the lead currently

Most likely to win: Toss-up, with Brown slightly ahead of Husted who is struggling with name recognition and data center unpopularity

ALASKA

The Candidates:

Democrat Mary Peltola VS. Republican Dan Sullivan (incumbent)

Photo of U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola — Mary Peltola (D)

Photo of U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan — Dan Sullivan (R)

Peltola: A native Alaskan from Kuskokwim, Peltola was an intern in the Alaska Legislature before becoming a member of the Alaska House of Representatives, manager of community development and sustainability for the Donlin Creek Mine, member of the Bethel City Council, and later a judge on the Orutsararmiut Native Council's tribal court. Her deep Alaskan background helped her win Rep. Don Young’s open seat for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, winning the special election and general election, but eventually losing in 2024 to Nick Begich III.

Sullivan: Elected in 2014 after defeating incumbent Mark Begich, Sullivan is seeking his third term in the U.S. Senate. Raised in Ohio, he attended Harvard and Georgetown before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. He later clerked for judges in Alaska and became an attorney in 2000 in the Last Frontier. Before being elected to the Senate, Sullivan served in the George W. Bush administration as chief of staff at the National Economic Council, on the National Security Council, and as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.

Notes from the campaign:

Democrats received their "dream candidate" in Peltola, a native Alaskan with a strong resume
GOP super PACs have spent over $18 million propping up Sullivan, with President Trump and Vice President Vance coming in to support the incumbent
Peltola has faced reports of poor treatments of staff while serving in the House of Representatives
Due to her native roots and strong fundraising, Peltola has enjoyed a steady rise up the ranks of Alaska politics
Diesel and tariff costs, along with local Alaska issues such as oil and fishing, are the main topics of contention
Incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan is also facing an independent challenger named Dan J. Sullivan, creating confusion on the ballot
Alaska has a ranked choice voting system

Most likely to win: Toss-up, but due to ranked choice voting and the high likelihood of Democrats winning the governor’s mansion, Peltola has an advantage

IOWA