Republicans defend their bastions, as senate comes within reach of Democrats

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Texas, Ken Paxton, campaigns with U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) at Betty Rose's Little Brisket barbecue, ahead of the November 3rd U.S. midterm elections, in Abilene, Texas, on October 28, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters As the U.S. heads towards midterm elections next week, the presidency of Donald Trump faces an inflection point, with the prospect of Republican control of the U.S. Congress weakening. Since early 2026 at least, forecasts have suggested the GOP would lose the U.S. House of Representatives. Recently, however, trends suggest that the Senate too is within reach of the Democrats.The GOP has a 53–47 majority in the Senate currently, with 35 seats being contested this year. Of these, seven are “toss ups”, according to the Cook Political Report (CPR), a non-partisan election analyser. These seats are in Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. All of these – except Michigan – are seats which are currently held by Republicans. Published - October 29, 2026 09:58 pm IST