4 minPolitics
Democrats favored to win House and Senate as midterm voting begins
Voters across the country are casting ballots in the 2026 midterm elections, with polls and forecasters pointing to a strong showing for Democrats amid concern over the economy and rising prices.
Voters across the United States are casting ballots in the 2026 midterm elections, and forecasters and polls point to a strong result for Democrats that could reshape the balance of power in Washington. The outcome will determine control of Congress, and the full picture may not be clear until late tonight or later.
Recent national polling suggests a clear advantage for Democrats. The latest CNN Poll of Polls shows 52 percent of voters prefer Democrats for Congress, compared with 43 percent for Republicans. An NBC poll puts the figure at 52 percent for Democrats and 44 percent for Republicans. Election forecaster Nate Silver gives Democrats a 95 percent probability of winning the House and an 80 percent probability of winning the Senate, and he has described the possible result as a « blue tsunami » rather than a simple blue wave. Political analysts broadly describe the contest as a potential blowout, with voters expressing widespread concern about the economy, particularly inflationary pressures and rising gas prices.
The current composition of Congress sets the stakes. The 100 Senate seats are held by 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and 2 Independents who caucus with the Democrats. The 435 House seats are held by 218 Republicans, 214 Democrats and 1 Independent, with two vacancies. To flip both chambers, Democrats would need 218 House seats and 51 Senate seats. Polls suggest that threshold is within reach, although polling has in some states underrepresented Republican support in the past, and many races will depend on turnout. Officials and analysts note that nothing is settled until every vote is counted.
Individual Senate and governor races are drawing close attention. In Ohio, voters are choosing between Republican Senator Jon Husted and former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, a contest that has been tight in the days leading up to Election Day. In Nebraska, Republicans in the traditionally ruby-red state have found themselves on the back foot this season as their opponents have made surprising gains in key races. In Texas, where voters have elected only Republican governors since 1994, the most recent polls show a close race for governor.
Betting activity on the outcome has also grown large. As of 8 p.m. ET on Monday, November 2, nearly $1.9 billion had been wagered on the midterm elections on the two biggest prediction markets, with Democrats favored to win both the House and the Senate.
Readers who want to follow the results as they arrive have several options. Interactive maps from the Associated Press, Bloomberg, CNN, Fox News and 270toWin show state-by-state House and Senate races. Live television coverage is streaming on YouTube from ABC News, CBS News, Fox News and PBS NewsHour. A Google search for terms such as « election results » or « midterm results » typically displays the latest figures at the top of the page, and Apple's News app on iPhone offers a real-time election widget that can be enabled through a banner at the top of the app.
Polls begin closing at 6 p.m. ET, so the first returns are expected shortly afterward. Viewers who want the full count should be prepared for a late night, since the final polls in Alaska do not close until 1 a.m. ET.
Source: fastcompany.com
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