The 2026 midterm elections

The 2026 midterm elections

From control of Congress to statehouse battles, the 2026 midterms will have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power and the policy agenda of the United States. In this year-long series, Brookings scholars assess the dynamics of the campaign season, the strategies of candidates and parties, the opinions of voters, and the broader implications for democracy, governance, and leadership in America.

voters behind booths

People stand behind privacy booths as they fill out their ballots before casting their early vote at the Queensborough Elks Lodge No. 878, in the Queens borough of New York City, NY. Source: REUTERS/Anthony Behar/Sipa USA

Travis Hutchison, a soybean farmer, inspects a field ready for harvesting on one of his family's farms in Cordova, Maryland, on October 10, 2025. The US soybean harvest is underway and in rural Maryland, farmer Travis Hutchison cracks open a pod to show how a field is nearly dry enough for reaping. But a decent yield is not enough to secure his income this year—with China, once the biggest buyer of US soybean exports, halting orders in a trade row triggered by President Donald Trump's aggressive tariffs. Soybean prices "are really depressed because of the trade war," Hutchison told AFP. His family tills 3,400 acres of soybeans, corn and other crops.

Public Opinion President Trump’s support declines sharply in rural America

William A. Galston

June 5, 2026

PLANO, TEXAS - MAY 26: Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at an election night watch party held by the Lone Star Liberty PAC at the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center on May 26, 2026 in Plano, Texas. Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in a Senate primary runoff election and will face Democrat James Talarico in the November general election.

Campaigns & Elections Paxton’s landslide win signals end of Bush-era Texas GOP

William A. Galston

May 28, 2026

HEBRON, KENTUCKY - MAY 19: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) speaks with supporters after his concession speech on May 19, 2026, in Hebron, Kentucky. Massie, who has served Kentucky's 4th Congressional District since 2012, conceded his loss after the most expensive U.S. House primary in U.S. history against Trump-endorsed candidate Ed Gallrein.

Campaigns & Elections So far, Trump’s political revenge campaigns have been successful

Elaine Kamarck

May 21, 2026

Stickers are placed out for voters at Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church, Mecklenburg County Precinct 11, after casting their ballot in the 2026 Primary Election on March 3, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. If former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who is endorsed by President Trump, wins the primary, he'll face former Governor Roy Cooper in the general election.

Campaigns & Elections Intraparty tensions shape the 2026 midterm primary landscape

Elaine Kamarck

May 12, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 15: An activist holds a U.S. flag during a rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 15, 2025. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments that day in Louisiana v. Callais, a major case concerning a congressional map that created a second majority-Black district in Louisiana.

Campaigns & Elections Supreme Court decision alters 2026 midterm election outlook

William A. Galston, Elaine Kamarck, Jordan Muchnick

April 30, 2026

Campaigns & Elections GOP midterm prospects darken as Trump approval falls

William A. Galston

April 28, 2026

JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 25: Emily Gregory is seen at home the day after she beat her Republican challenger for a Florida state House seat during a special election on March 25, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. Emily Gregory beat her opponent, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, in the formerly Republican Florida House District 87 seat, a noteworthy victory because it includes President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence and club.

Campaigns & Elections What do special elections mean for the midterm elections?

Elaine Kamarck, Jordan Muchnick, Nikola Misetic

April 16, 2026

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: A customer shops in a grocery store on March 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data that was released the consumer price index increased seasonally adjusted 0.3% for the month, putting the 12-month inflation rate at 2.4%.

U.S. Economy Why affordability will be a key issue in the 2026 midterm elections

William A. Galston

March 25, 2026

An aerial view shows cooling vent fans on the roof next to generators on the lower level of a Digital Realty data center in Ashburn, Virginia on November 12, 2025. Data centers are the physical infrastructure that make our digital lives possible, yet most people have never seen one up close or understand how they operate. Roughly 12,000 data centers are in operation in the world, with about half in the US, according to Cloudscene, a data center directory.

U.S. Economy How rising electric rates could affect the 2026 midterms

Darrell M. West

March 20, 2026

President Donald Trump displays a chart with economic data in the Oval Office on Aug. 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer on Aug. 1, claiming the agency issued “phony” jobs numbers during the Biden administration to aid Democrats.

U.S. Economy The economy weakened support for President Trump in 2025 and may do so again in 2026

William A. Galston

January 15, 2026

Abagail Spanberger During the Norfolk State University Football Tailgate on Aug. 28, 2025.

Campaigns & Elections What this fall’s elections can—and can’t—teach us about the midterms

E.J. Dionne, Jr., Max Keeney, Adelle Patten

October 2, 2025

Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) arrives to the U.S. Capitol during the last votes of the week on Thursday, May 1, 2025.

Campaigns & Elections Assessing the role of candidate quality in the 2026 midterms

Elaine Kamarck

September 25, 2025

As Americans head to the polls to vote in the 2022 midterm elections, voters trickle into the Alexandria Fire Department Headquarters Station Number 4 in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

U.S. Government & Politics What history tells us about the 2026 midterm elections

William A. Galston

August 28, 2025