WASHINGTON — With Election Day set for November 3, campaigns for the 2026 midterm elections are intensifying across the country. Every one of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives is on the ballot, along with about a third of the 100-seat Senate and dozens of governorships.
Midterms fall halfway through a president's four-year term and often function as a referendum on the party in power. Control of Congress is the prize. The party that wins a majority in each chamber sets the legislative agenda, controls committees, and can advance or block the president's priorities. It also holds the power to investigate the executive branch.
Historically, the president's party tends to lose seats in the midterms. The size of any swing depends on turnout, the state of the economy, and the issues voters care about most in the fall. This year, a softening job market and higher energy prices could weigh on the party in power.
Analysts are watching a handful of competitive districts that could decide which party runs the House. Most seats are considered safe for one side or the other, so the outcome hinges on a small number of tossup races where both parties are already spending heavily.
Background
The current Congress has been closely divided, which magnifies the stakes of even a few seats changing hands. A narrow majority can stall on its own internal disagreements, as recent budget fights have shown, so both parties are pouring money into a small number of tossup races rather than the safe seats that make up most of the map.
Why it matters: Whether one party controls both the White House and Congress, or power is split, determines what actually becomes law over the next two years — from spending to taxes to immigration.
What to watch: Which way the economy tips before November, since a weakening job market historically hurts the party in power.