Win the U.S. Senate
Flipping the Senate is within reach. Republicans currently hold a 53–47 Senate majority. Of the 35 seats up in 2026, 22 are held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats.
Between 2027 and the end of Trump’s term, a Democratic Senate could block dangerous judicial and executive nominees, shape the balance of power in Washington, and help prevent lasting damage that could take decades to undo.
But even if Democrats fall short of a Senate majority, every race we win in 2026 matters enormously. Every seat gained weakens Republicans’ grip on power and strengthens the ability to push back on the MAGA agenda. And because Senate seats won in 2026 won’t be up again until 2032, they also matter for our long-term strategy.
Winning Senate seats now lays the groundwork for a governing majority if Democrats win back the White House in 2028. A Democratic president taking office in 2029 will need a Senate ready to confirm nominees, pass legislation, and govern effectively from day one.
Jump to races:
Must-Flip Races
The most competitive GOP-held seats, where margins will be razor-thin and outcomes will determine which party controls the chamber.
2022 Senate first-round results: D: 10.37% | R: 43.37% | R: 42.60%
Alaska
R: Dan Sullivan
D: Mary Peltola
Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is seeking a third term in the ranked-choice-voting state, but former Congresswoman Mary Peltola's entry has transformed the race. She outraised Sullivan roughly 3.5-to-1 in Q2 of 2026, posting record-breaking fundraising forAlaska.
2022 Senate results: D: 43.84% | R: 56.01%
Iowa
D: Josh Turek
R: Ashley Hinson
Senator Joni Ernst's retirement has opened up a seat in a state battered by destructive Republican policies from the state and federal governments, including tariffs. Democratic state representative and former Paralympian Josh Turek is running against Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a strong Trump supporter. Turek is focused on addressing the real concerns of Iowans, who are poised to deliver big results for Democrats up and down the ballot.
Maine
2024 Senate results: I: 52.06% | R: 34.64% | D: 10.83%
R: Susan Collins
D: Troy Jackson
Susan Collins is the only Republican senator who represents a state Trump has never won in any of his three presidential campaigns, making her the most vulnerable Republican incumbent in the Senate. Flipping this seat is one of Democrats' best offensive opportunities of the cycle and Democrats have a strong candidate in former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, who long represented a Republican-leaning district in the legislature.
North Carolina
2022 Senate results: D: 47.27% | R: 50.50%
D: Roy Cooper
R: Michael Whatley
Republican Senator Thom Tillis is retiring, and Democrats landed a major recruit in former Governor Roy Cooper, who is well-known and has won multiple statewide elections before. This is currently rated one of Democrats' most likely Senate flips of the cycle, and it's central to any majority math. Republicans are starting to pour money into the state to prop up former RNC Chair and oil lobbyist Michael Whatley in their attempts to hold this seat.
Ohio
2022 Senate results: D: 46.47% | R: 50.09%
R: Jon Husted
D: Sherrod Brown
Former Senator Sherrod Brown is running to win this seat against an appointed incumbent who is tied to the largest corruption scandal in state history, in a state that has been hit hard by economic challenges and tariffs. Brown has a track record of winning working-class voters in red-leaning territory. Ohio is one of Democrats' most realistic offensive flips.
2024 Senate results: D: 44.56%| R: 53.05%
Texas
R: Ken Paxton
D: James Talarico
Democrat James Talarico has built a formidable fundraising operation and is drawing national attention, while Republican nominee Ken Paxton enters the general election with high name recognition—and significant political baggage after years of scandals, investigations, and a bruising primary fight. In a wave year, Texas could be the seat that puts the Senate majority out of reach for Republicans.
Must-Hold Races
The most competitive Democratic-held seats, where outcomes will determine which party controls the chamber.
Georgia
2020 Senate runoff results: D: 50.61% | R: 49.39%
D: Jon Ossoff
R: Mike Collins
Jon Ossoff is the only sitting Democratic senator running for re-election in a state Donald Trump carried in 2024, making this one of the most high-stakes defensive races in the country. Keeping Ossoff in office is required to win a Democratic Senate majority.
2024 Senate results: D: 48.64% | R: 48.30%
Michigan
D: Abdul El-Sayed
R: Mike Rogers
Senator Gary Peters' retirement has opened up this seat in a state with an even partisan lean, drawing massive attention and investment from both parties. Holding Michigan is a must-win for Democrats' path to reclaiming the Senate majority. The Democratic nominee is Abdul El-Sayed, the former health director in Wayne County, who is running against former Congressman Mike Rogers who narrowly lost to Senator Elissa Slotkin in 2024. Polls show a tight race.
2022 Senate results: D: 53.54% | R: 44.39%
New Hampshire
Open seat
Following Senator Jeanne Shaheen's retirement, Democrats are positioned to benefit from the significant momentum in the state that supported Harris during the 2024 election.
Flip the Senate Fund
Every Senate seat we win now is a six-year investment in building a Democratic majority in 2028. Swing Left has determined the closest races that will decide control of the Senate in 2026—so you can focus your support where it will have the greatest impact. Give today to the Democrats fighting for the seats that matter most:
Reach Races
We likely won’t win all of these, but with control of the Senate within reach and with limited chances to win more seats in 2028 and 2030, we have to treat each seat as an opportunity and compete hard for each one. If we win, Democrats have a larger majority, or make up for a loss in our must-win category. If we lose, our investments build infrastructure that will make it easier to win next time around.
2024 Senate results: D: 37.04%| R: 60%
Kansas
R: Roger Marshall
D: Adam Hamilton
While Kansas is considered a red state, first-term Senator Roger Marshall has been a strong supporter of Trump’s unpopular policies that have hurt Kansans, from tariffs to the war in Iran. Multiple independent election analysts moved this race out of the “safe Republican” category after Rev. Adam Hamilton won a strong victory in the Democratic primary. Rev. Hamilton, who outraised Marshall 6-to-1 last quarter, is the founding pastor of the nation’s largest United Methodist church and can uniquely appeal to Kansans across party lines.
2024 Senate results: D: 37.19%| R: 62.81%
Mississippi
R: Cindy Hyde-Smith
D: Scott Colom
Scott Colom is an elected district attorney who has proven he can win voters across party and racial lines in Mississippi. He is focused on taking on corruption in DC and the rising cost of living, including Trump’s tariffs and war in Iran, both of which Senator Hyde-Smith has supported. Black voters make up about one-third of the electorate—more than any other state—but turn out at a lower rate than white voters. Colom’s path to victory is predicated on increasing turnout among Black voters and modestly increasing support with white voters.
2024 Senate results: I: 46.52%| R: 53.19%
Nebraska
R: Pete Ricketts
D: Dan Osborn
Independent Dan Osborn had the best performance for any challenger in a Republican-held seat in the 2024 election cycle, earning 46.5% of the vote against Senator Deb Fischer. He is running again, challenging Senator Pete Ricketts, looking to build on his strong showing. Multiple polls have shown a close race, in a state hurt by Trump’s tariffs, and where Democrats are fired up to flip this seat and NE-2. There is no Democratic candidate for Senate in Nebraska, and Osborn is our best chance to defeat the Republican incumbent.
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