The Senate map looked fairly comfortable for Republicans when the 2026 election cycle began. The party holds 53 seats, compared with 47 for Democrats, and most of the Republican seats on the ballot are in states Donald Trump carried in 2024.
That does not mean those seats will all be easy to defend. Affordability has become a persistent concern for voters. The political fallout from the war with Iran has also changed the environment around several Republican incumbents and candidates. Democrats, meanwhile, have their own seats to protect. Some of the most closely watched races are not in traditionally Democratic territory at all.
