Nine battleground states hold the key to control of Congress as Republicans defend majorities and Democrats eye Senate pickups in the 2026 midterms.
Control of Congress is on the line Tuesday as voters decide pivotal Senate and House races across the country, while closely watched contests for governor will shape the political landscape in key states during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Republicans are fighting to defend their congressional majorities as Democrats seek gains in battlegrounds from Texas and Georgia to Michigan and Maine. Open seats, vulnerable incumbents and competitive statewide races have put nine states at the center of the fight for power in Washington and state capitals.
With races stretching across multiple time zones, here are the key contests to watch, when polls close and how to follow live results as Election Night unfolds.
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Texas voters face two major statewide showdowns, with Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton battling Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the Senate seat held by outgoing Republican John Cornyn, while GOP Gov. Greg Abbott seeks a historic fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
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The Senate contest has emerged as an unusually competitive race in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988, pitting Paxton’s conservative appeal and history of legal controversies against Talarico’s campaign focused on political change.
Meanwhile, Abbott’s reelection bid offers another test of Republican dominance, with border security, education and the economy shaping the fight over the state’s future.
Ohio features a Senate rematch of sorts, with former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown seeking a return to Washington against Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill Vice President JD Vance’s former seat. Brown is attempting a political comeback in a state that has shifted toward Republicans, while Husted seeks his first electoral victory for the Senate.
Husted’s campaign also enlisted Ohio native and former NFL coach Jon “Chucky” Gruden for campaign appearances.
Voters will decide who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy facing Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy’s campaign recently pulled a controversial ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother after criticism from fellow Republicans, including DeWine.
Michigan’s open Senate seat could prove pivotal to the balance of power in Washington, with former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers facing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the contest to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The Senate race has grown increasingly contentious as Rogers and Republican allies have raised allegations about El-Sayed’s family’s purported ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, citing old social media posts by his half-sister. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the organization and publicly disavowed it, while independent fact-checkers have found no evidence establishing his personal affiliation.
The state also features a gubernatorial showdown between Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Rep. John James, testing whether Michigan voters will maintain Democratic control of the governor’s office or turn to Republicans.
Wisconsin’s open governor’s race pits Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany against Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as voters choose a successor to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
The contest centers on the state’s political direction, including taxes, public spending and education, after Crowley defeated progressive state Rep. Francesca Hong in a crowded Democratic primary.
Georgia offers two major statewide contests, with Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff defending his seat against Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a state Trump narrowly carried in 2024.
Ossoff’s race will test whether Democrats can hold a Senate seat in a state that has delivered closely contested presidential and Senate elections, while the open governor’s race between Republican businessman Rick Jackson and former Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will determine who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
Iowa voters will decide whether Republicans can retain two major offices in a state Trump carried comfortably in 2024. Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson faces Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Joni Ernst, while Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand faces Republican Zach Lahn in the open governor’s race to succeed retiring longtime GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Although the Hawkeye State has shifted toward Republicans in recent election cycles, Democrats previously enjoyed sustained statewide success through figures including former Sen. Tom Harkin and former Gov. Tom Vilsack.
The contests will test whether Democrats can regain ground, with affordability, agriculture and state economic policy among the central issues.
Nevada’s marquee contest features Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo seeking another term against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford.
The race will test whether Republicans can retain the governor’s office in a state where Democrats have remained competitive in statewide elections, with housing affordability, education and public safety among the issues facing voters.
Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff, defeated incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022, with Ford now hoping to hit the jackpot in Carson City.
Maine’s Senate race pits longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins against former Democratic state Senate President Troy Jackson in one of the country’s most closely watched contests.
Collins is seeking another term in a blue-leaning state that supported Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Meanwhile, Jackson is attempting to turn Maine’s Democratic presidential voting pattern into a Senate pickup after replacing Graham Platner, who withdrew as the Democratic nominee following a sexual assault allegation that he denied.
The contest will test Collins’ longstanding crossover appeal and could have major consequences for the Senate’s balance of power, as she remains New England’s only Republican member of Congress.
Florida voters will choose a successor to term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, with Republican Rep. Byron Donalds facing former Republican congressman turned Democrat David Jolly.
The race presents a contest over the future of Florida’s government, including affordability, immigration and the direction of state policy.
Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, appointed to the seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also faces DSA-affiliated Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon in a special Senate election, while competitive House contests could affect the national congressional picture.
As polls close across the country’s biggest battlegrounds on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital will deliver live results, race calls and analysis of the contests that could determine control of Congress.
Viewers can watch live coverage on Fox News Go with a participating television provider or stream Fox News Channel through FOX One.
Fox News Channel’s special “FOX News Democracy 26” coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, co-anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Dana Perino, Brit Hume, Harold Ford Jr., Bill Hemmer, Sandra Smith, Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity and other Fox News personalities will contribute throughout the evening.
The Fox News Decision Desk will provide race calls for House, Senate and gubernatorial contests, along with projections of which party will control each chamber of Congress.
FOX Business will simulcast Fox News Channel’s Election Night coverage from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday. Trace Gallagher will lead overnight coverage, with a special early edition of “FOX & Friends First” beginning at 4 a.m.
On Fox News Digital, readers can follow a live Election Night blog featuring breaking developments, Fox News Power Rankings and Fox News Voter Analysis as polls close across the country.
The Fox News Elections Center will serve as a central destination for tracking results in Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Maine and Florida, as well as other key congressional and statewide races nationwide.
Signed-in users can also participate in “The Room,” an interactive Election Night discussion experience featuring real-time commentary.
For additional election analysis, “Ruthless Live! Midterm Election Show” will stream from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on Fox News Digital and FOX Nation.
Listeners can tune in to Fox News Radio or use the Fox News app’s “Listen” feature beginning at 7 p.m. ET, when Jared Halpern and Jessica Rosenthal kick off live radio coverage.
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More than 20 Fox News Channel and FOX Business correspondents will report from battleground states nationwide, while chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram will provide updates from Capitol Hill.
With control of the House and Senate at stake, Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital will provide continuing coverage as results emerge from the nine battleground states and beyond, including races that may remain undecided into Wednesday.
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