Senate Races To Watch: Talarico Leads Paxton By 3 Points In New Texas Poll

Aug 26, 2026 12:28 AM - 1 hour ago 1

Topline

Republicans consequence losing their slim mostly successful the Senate successful the November midterm election, arsenic 5 of these six seats rated flip ups by Cook Political Report are held by the GOP, pinch only 1 successful a authorities President Donald Trump mislaid successful 2024.

Michigan Democratic Senate superior victor Abdul El-Sayed claps during a property convention successful beforehand of the Spirit of Detroit statue connected August 05, 2026 successful Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Texas: Republican infighting successful the GOP superior and Democratic nominee authorities Rep. James Talarico’s arguable past comments connected gender and belief person made this a high-profile race. Trump gave a last-minute endorsement to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton complete four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, angering immoderate Republican senators arsenic Cornyn is well-respected among his GOP colleagues. Paxton hit Cornyn successful a runoff by 28 points. Talarico and Paxton are deadlocked successful polls, pinch a University of Texas/Texas Politics Project survey released Tuesday showing Talarico starring Paxton by 3 percent points (42%-39%), while 3% of respondents for illustration Libertarian Ted Brown and 14% had nary preference.

Alaska: Democratic erstwhile Rep. Mary Peltola is vying to unseat Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is seeking a 3rd term. The superior served arsenic a trial for the wide predetermination arsenic candidates of each parties tally connected the aforesaid ballot and the apical 2 vote-getters advance. Peltola hit Sullivan by 5 points successful the primary. The past clip Alaska elected a Democrat arsenic legislator was successful 2008, and the authorities has voted for a Republican successful each statesmanlike predetermination since 1968. Peltola has a history of winning successful the state, however, erstwhile she hit Republicans, erstwhile Gov. Sarah Palin, and Rep. Nick Begich III, successful the 2022 typical election, past was defeated by Begich successful 2024.

Iowa: The title betwixt Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democratic authorities Rep. Josh Turek to switch retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst was shifted to a flip up this week by Cook Political Report. Iowa voted for Trump successful the past 3 statesmanlike elections, but voted for erstwhile President Barack Obama successful 2008 and 2012. Hinson led by 2 and 3 points successful New York Times/Siena University and Emerson College polls, respectively, taken earlier this month.

Maine: Democrat Troy Jackson, a erstwhile Maine authorities senator, is moving against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, who occasionally breaks pinch Trump connected immoderate issues. The title has been highly publicized complete the galore scandals surrounding erstwhile Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who dropped retired of the title aft a erstwhile woman accused him of rape, which he denies, prompting calls for his resignation. Jackson led Collins by 3 points successful a University of New Hampshire poll taken successful July. Maine is the only authorities of the six flip ups that Trump mislaid successful 2024.

Michigan: In different intimately watched Democratic primary, progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly hit mean Rep. Haley Stevens successful a conflict that underscored the party’s soul personality struggle. El-Sayed, who is not a socialist but is simply a salient illustration of the left-wing’s emergence successful the party, faces erstwhile Republican Rep. Mike Rogers successful the wide predetermination to switch outgoing Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. A survey by Susquehanna Polling and Research released earlier this period shows El-Sayed starring by 7 points.

Ohio: Former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who mislaid to Trump-backed Sen. Bernie Moreno successful 2024, is aiming for a comeback against Republican Sen. John Husted. A Fox News poll taken earlier this period shows Husted trailing Brown by 8 points, while a plurality of respondents, 33%, said Husted is excessively adjacent to Trump. Husted is the erstwhile Ohio lieutenant politician and Ohio caput of authorities who was appointed by Trump past twelvemonth to switch JD Vance erstwhile he became vice president.

Big Number

38%. That’s Trump’s support standing successful Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin polling average, amid a string of surveys successful caller months showing his support standing astatine grounds lows amid increasing fatigue pinch the Iran warfare and its effect connected the economy. While Trump’s standing is debased compared to astir modern presidents astatine this constituent successful their terms, the president’s statement historically performs poorly successful midterms elections, owed to a operation of factors including debased turnout successful a non-presidential predetermination twelvemonth and information by voters who position the midterms arsenic a referendum connected the president’s agenda.

Key Background

Republicans clasp a 53-47 mostly successful the Senate. The statement won backmost power successful 2024, flipping West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Montana, aft 4 years successful the minority. Cook Political Report rates the conflict for power of the Senate arsenic a flip up, pinch Republicans favored somewhat to win. In the House, wherever Republicans clasp a 218-213 majority, most polls show Democrats pinch an advantage connected the generic legislature ballot. A divided Congress aliases 1 that’s afloat successful Democrats’ power could importantly hamstring Trump’s agenda, though he’s circumvented Congress to enact immoderate of his astir arguable priorities, including wide migration raids, the Iran warfare and reconstruction of the Capitol and surrounding areas. Democrats are besides gearing up to motorboat galore investigations into Trump if they regain power of 1 aliases some chambers, pinch probes set to focus connected whether he has utilized the presidency to enrich himself personally.

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