Control of Congress is at stake Tuesday, as voters weigh in on competitive House and Senate races across the country. Several closely watched governor’s contests will also help shape state politics during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Republicans are working to hold their congressional majorities while Democrats target competitive races in states including Texas, Georgia, Michigan and Maine. Open seats and vulnerable incumbents have made nine states central to the fight for power in Washington and state capitals.
Texas has two major statewide races. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican John Cornyn. Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
The Senate contest is unusually competitive for a state that has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since Lloyd Bentsen won in 1988. Paxton is campaigning on his conservative record, despite a history of legal controversies, while Talarico is pitching a change in direction. Abbott’s bid is expected to turn on issues such as border security, education and the economy.
In Ohio, former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is trying to return to Washington, facing Republican Sen. Jon Husted. Husted was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance and is now seeking his first Senate election victory. The state has shifted toward Republicans in recent years, making Brown’s campaign a difficult political comeback.
Husted has also brought in Ohio native and former NFL coach Jon “Chucky” Gruden for campaign appearances. In the governor’s race, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is running against Democrat Amy Acton to replace term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine. Ramaswamy’s campaign recently withdrew an ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother after criticism, including from DeWine.
Michigan’s open Senate seat could help decide control of the chamber. Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers is facing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The contest has become increasingly heated over claims from Rogers and Republican allies about alleged family connections between El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood, based on old social media posts by his half-sister. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the group and publicly rejected it. Independent fact-checkers have found no evidence of his personal affiliation.
Michigan voters will also choose between Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Rep. John James for governor. The race will test whether Democrats can hold the office or Republicans can take it back.
Wisconsin’s open governor’s race features Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany and Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. They are competing to succeed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, with taxes, public spending and education among the key issues. Crowley won a crowded Democratic primary, defeating progressive state Rep. Francesca Hong.
Georgia has two closely watched statewide contests. Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is defending his seat against Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a state Trump narrowly won in 2024. The race will test whether Democrats can hold a Senate seat in a state where recent presidential and Senate contests have been tight.
The state’s open governor’s race pits Republican businessman Rick Jackson against former Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The winner will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
In Iowa, Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson is running against Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Joni Ernst. The open governor’s race features Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn, who are vying to succeed retiring Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Iowa has leaned more Republican in recent election cycles, though Democrats have had long stretches of statewide success, including under former Sen. Tom Harkin and former Gov. Tom Vilsack. The races will test whether the party can regain ground. Affordability, agriculture and state economic policy are among the issues in focus.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican and former Clark County sheriff, is seeking another term against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. Lombardo defeated Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022. This time, housing costs, education and public safety are among the issues facing voters in a state where Democrats remain competitive in statewide elections.
Maine’s Senate race pits longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins against former Democratic state Senate President Troy Jackson. Collins is seeking reelection in a state that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential contest. Jackson is hoping to turn that Democratic advantage into a Senate win after replacing Graham Platner, who left the race following a sexual assault allegation that he denied.
The outcome could affect the balance of power in the Senate. Collins has won support from voters across party lines and is New England’s only Republican member of Congress.
Florida voters will choose a successor to term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Republican Rep. Byron Donalds is running against David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who is now a Democrat. The campaign has put affordability, immigration and the direction of state policy in the spotlight.
Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is also facing Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon, who is affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, in a special Senate election. Competitive House races in Florida could also have implications for control of Congress.
