Both parties are preparing for a hard-fought midterm election year that, if the first full week of 2026 is any indication, will bring along some surprises.
Primary contests begin in March and will help answer key questions about what’s driving voters in both parties and set up the critical battleground races to watch in the general election. Republicans are defending a threadbare majority in the House and a more comfortable one in the Senate, where Democrats have to contend with a challenging map.
The candidate fields are still being set. On Monday, former Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola announced she would challenge Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, giving Democrats their best chance to flip an otherwise difficult seat. In Maine, GOP Sen. Susan Collins has yet to officially announce her bid for a sixth term, although she has indicated she’s running again.
