U.S. midterm elections 2026: With the November midterm elections less than a month away, several Senate races in traditionally Republican states are drawing new attention. A new New York Times/Siena poll shows Democratic candidates leading or running essentially even in five states that Donald Trump carried in 2024. The races include Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio and Texas. The numbers add another layer to an already closely watched fight for control of the Senate, as per a report by USA Today.
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What does the new Senate poll show?
The poll, conducted from Sept. 21 through Oct. 1, found Democratic candidates ahead in Alaska, Ohio and Texas, while the races in Kansas and Iowa were much closer. In Alaska, former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola led Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan 50% to 43%, giving her a seven-point advantage.
Texas showed another notable gap. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico was ahead of Republican Ken Paxton 51% to 45%. In Ohio, former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown led Republican Sen. Jon Husted 49% to 46%. Husted was appointed to the seat after JD Vance left it to become vice president.
Kansas was tied. Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton and Republican Sen. Roger Marshall were each at 45%.
Iowa was also close, with Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson at 48% and Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek at 47%.
The five-state results were part of a wider pattern highlighted by Reuters. The news agency reported that Democrats have become competitive in a number of states that Trump won by double digits in 2024, putting more Republican-held Senate seats into play.
