So...I started getting my model together for the 2026 senate elections. Yeah, it's early, but some political nerds are already doing 2026 predictions, and I wanted to join them. So I dusted off the old model from 2024 and recalibrated it for 2026. The data in it is all placeholder, and is intended to be a relatively neutral map. This is not a formal prediction with data. It's more....a forecast.
Okay, so let's go over it. This is more of a baseline map. It generally assumes the status quo. Whatever seats the parties have, they win, and then I assigned the points based on how left/right leaning I feel like they are according to this baseline. Polling can shift either way making the map more or less competitive. If anything, I would expect the map to lean more toward the democratic side than it shows here. While 2020 was a rather blue year itself, I expect this 2026 to be 2018 or 2022, ie, blue wave, democratic overperformance.
With that said, let's ask the obvious question: can democrats retake the senate?
And let me respond with the obvious answer: probably not, it's gonna be an extremely difficult and hostile map to them. They would need to flip four seats, and the path of least resistance still involves winning some states that in recent elections have been quite hostile to democrats. HOWEVER, given this is likely to be a blue wave year, let's not count it out. Let's have an honest discussion about all of the states involved.
Solid Blue States (>12 points)
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Delaware
Oregon
I mean...is any of this controversial? I don't think it is.
Solid Red States (>12 points)
Idaho
Wyoming
South Dakota
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Tennessee
Kentucky
West Virginia
Again, I don't think any of these are controversial. I know Mississippi was like marginally in the "safe" (8-12) category in 2020 due to a special election there, but generally speaking, come on, man. It's Mississippi, you're on crack if you think that has any reasonable chance of going blue at this point.
Safe Blue States (8-12 points)
These states are almost definitely going blue but there is an ever so slight chance of an upset in a very red year.
I included:
New Jersey
Colorado
Illinois
NJ and IL are two states that were uncomfortably close in the 2024 election, and senate elections seem to have closer margins sometimes. I still think these states are relatively safe, but who knows? Upsets can happen. As the map indicates, we're talking like a 0.1% chance though. Still, that's, 1 in 1000 and statistics does crazy things sometimes. As for Colorado, that's a former swing state that seems to be getting safer and safer for dems in every election cycle.
Safe Red States (8-12 points)
South Carolina
Nebraska
Kansas
Alaska
If any normally solid red states are flirting with turning, it's those four. Still, again, we're talking like 1 in 1000, but statistically, I feel like I should include them as sometimes they can be more competitive than they look.
Likely Blue States (5-8 points)
New Mexico
New Hampshire
I expect both of these to essentially go blue, but say in a really red year, maybe they can be threatened. Who knows? Still, I'd say the democrats have a high chance here, like 90%+ generally. So...only 1 in 10 chance of an upset, and given this is a blue year...eh....
Lean Blue States (2.5-5 points)
Minnesota
Virginia
These are states that are kinda swingy but still reliably blue. I wouldn't expect them to be under threat in what I expect to be a blue year, but we still gotta keep an eye on them....
Tossups (2.5 Blue-2.5 Red)
Michigan
Georgia
North Carolina
Maine
So....these are the ones that I think are really interesting, and where I think the real tossups lie. Now, you might notice I'm doing margins a little different here. It's because we have ZERO polling data at this point for 2026 and I'm just making wild guesses here. But....I'd say MI and GA have been swing states in recent election cycles, both have democratic senators from the 2020 election, and while I would expect these seats to be threatened in a red year, in a blue year? Well, democrats should maintain them. Still, I'm considering them swing for now. Michigan is what i consider a slightly blue leaning swing state. Georgia used to be more red but the growth of Atlanta has actually made it swing more blue. Keep in mind it is the one swing state in the sun belt that surprised me a bit relative to the others. it looks like it's starting to turn into WI/MI/PA honestly, and it's the one place the whole fiscally moderate but socially progressive thing the dems are doing seems to be bearing fruit. Georgia is slowly turning from being a lean red state to being a purple one. So...yeah. I do think dems have >50% odds at maintaining their seat there given this is gonna be a red year.
So...with that said, let's talk about the others. North Carolina and Maine are the two states that democrats have a good shot at flipping I think. NC regularly is a swing state, but then it persistently stays red. Still, given this is going to be a blue year probably...don't count it out. It's one of the dems' best chances at flipping ANYTHING.
So is Maine. Maine is a state that regularly ends up being blue leaning, but varies in how much. Sometimes it becomes swingy, but other times it's pretty safe blue. Maine in general is a pretty weird state for the northeast. It has urban areas in the south but then the north is just all yeehaw country (see: Maine CD2). Currently, their senators are in a weird place. We got Angus King, who is an independent, and Susan Collins, one of the most moderate republicans. Susan Collins is up in 2026 and she's a republican. Given this is a blue year, in a blue state, I view her as vulnerable. However, she's also not THAT vulnerable. She was able to hold her seat in 2020 when Biden was elected, and ultimately it really comes down to how Maine perceives her going into 2026. Is she the rational voice of the republicans and moderate enough to save her seat? Or will she end up losing because Trumpism sours in the American people so hard that the democrats can run anyone with a pulse and win? Who knows. I mean, I think her seat is possibly vulnerable, but it is an uphill battle. Hence why I put her in the more "lean red" column traditionally.
If the democrats can win these seats, they won't take the senate, but they can narrow the republicans' lead from 4 seats to 2. In order to WIN the senate outright, they need to take some other seats.
Lean Red States (2.5-5 points)
Ohio
The next most vulnerable seat for republicans to focus on is basically Ohio. If Sherrod Brown runs again (he lost his seat in 2024), I DO think the democrats have a shot here. JD Vance's old seat is up for reelection here. Brown won in 2018 and is the one democrat who I think has a shot here. Given this is going to likely be a blue year, I think Brown has some play here. Otherwise I'd expect the republicans to win. Ohio hasn't been friendly to democrats in recent years.
If democrats win here, it would bring the senate down to 50-50, making JD Vance the tiebreaker.
Likely Red States (5-8 points)
Montana
Florida
Texas
Iowa
And finally, the next crop of states for democrats to focus on would be the above group. Not gonna lie. This is a hard and hostile map for democrats. They won in 2020 big and now they need to maintain or expand on their wins, and now they need to expand deep into republican territory to retake the senate.
Of these four states, Montana I think is the easiest one to crack. Just run the Ohio strategy with Tester instead of Brown. Jon Tester won in 2018 there, showing it is possible for the democrats to win here if it is a very blue year. If Trump messes up and really destroys his approval, we could see this becoming a possible weak spot for democrats to exploit.
The other states I would largely consider to be borderline unwinnable. Blorida and Blexas are memes. I mean, statistically they can theoretically happen, but we're talking a 2% chance or so. Iowa is also a hard sell for democrats.
With all of that said, can the democrats retake the senate?
On a purely academic level, they have a slim chance if EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING goes right for them. If they maintain ALL of their seats, and are then able to flip North Carolina, Maine, Ohio, AND Montana, yes, they can win. If someone wants to see a map of this happening, this is basically it.
Of course, this is basically "here's how Bernie can still win in May 2016" level delusion. It probably ain't gonna happen. I wanna believe. I believe it's possible on an academic level, but as the OG map would suggest, I generously give that like a 7% chance of happening.
Still, it is early, and we don't really know. We don't have polling yet. If the atmosphere goes hard enough toward democrats (and it might given Trump is going full steam ahead with project 2025), MAYBE we can eek out a win here?
In all likelihood though, we'll flip a couple seats and the republicans will still retain a majority though.
Honestly, I'm far more optimistic about the house. That only went 215-220 republican and even a slight change in the political winds could blow that back to the democrats. So we can at least reestablish some checks and balances over Trump in 2026 if democracy isn't destroyed by then.
Simulation talk
I did run a simulation based on the odds in the first graphic above. I got 99 republican wins and 1 tie, which, given the GOP controlling the white house, is still a republican win. If you wanna see the map, here it is:
Honestly though? That's one out of 100 simulations. And that's the best one for democrats. Democrats maintain all of their seats, and then manage to win 3 long shots, only missing North Carolina.
I had other simulations going 45-55 GOP or even 43-57 GOP. That's the range. Of course, again, I would put the republicans on the defensive and the democrats on the offensive here. I actually do see the democrats gaining seats to be more likely than them losing them. Again. Blue year. People are gonna be pissed and outraged at republicans. This is gonna be 2018 or 2022. Which is why I at least have SOME hope for democrats to do something here, as improbable as it may seem.
Also I just realized Illinois isn't on the above map. That was because I originally included it in the super safe section before deciding to put it in the 8-12 section based on prior performance and it being in a precarious situation in 2025. So just ignore that. I'll fix that bug in my model.
Conclusion
But yeah, real talk? I think an 84% chance of a republican win, a 9% chance of a tie, which is also a republican win, and a 7% chance of a democratic win is about accurate. I think that realistically reflects our chances here. They're not very good. Republicans will likely retain the senate, although I could see us possibly sniping a seat or two and bringing it down to 48-52 or 49-51. That's what I think would be the most likely outcome in practice, if not just sticking with the status quo at 47-53. It's a tough map. Democrats have to do everything right to maintain their gains from 2020 and THEN make even further gains. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't count on it.
Still, I would expect 2026 to be a blue year. I think it will mirror 2018 or 2022, where democrats turn out in large numbers, outraged at the trump administration, and we manage to make SOME gains. And keep in mind, in 2018 we won both Ohio and Montana, and those incumbents who lost their seats in 2024 could just run for the above seats in 2026. So, don't count it out. Just don't count on it either.
I will come back to this when we actually get polling data next year. This is just a sneak peek.