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What You Need to Know About the Midterms

The elections this November will decide which party controls each chamber of Congress and will shape how the remainder of Donald Trump’s presidency plays out

September 28, 2026

By Lauren Vespoli

Millions of high schoolers will soon be sweating their midterms. So will President Donald Trump.

The nationwide elections that take place midway through a president’s four-year term are known as the midterms. Even though Trump, a Republican, won’t appear on the ballot, the midterms have historically been seen as an important test of an administration’s popularity.

The Republican Party currently holds slim majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. That means control of Congress—and President Trump’s ability to enact his agenda for the remainder of his presidency—could come down to a handful of competitive races on November 3.

In tight races, young voters have the opportunity to make a big difference. Since the 2024 presidential election, 8.5 million potential new voters will have come of age. Americans ages 18 to 29 are “a major potential force in American politics right now,” says Leela Strong of Tufts University, who studies youth engagement in elections.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming midterms.

Millions of high schoolers will soon be sweating their midterms. So will President Donald Trump.

Midterms are the nationwide elections that take place midway through a president’s four-year term. Trump, a Republican, won’t appear on the ballot. But the midterms have historically been seen as an important test of an administration’s popularity.

The Republican Party currently holds slim majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Control of Congress—and President Trump’s ability to enact his agenda for the rest of his presidency—could come down to a few competitive races on November 3.

Young voters have the opportunity to make a big difference in these tight races. Since the 2024 presidential election, 8.5 million potential new
voters will have come of age. Americans ages 18 to 29 are “a major potential force in American politics right now,” says Leela Strong of Tufts University, who studies youth engagement in elections.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming midterms.

1. Who’s running in the midterms?

In the House of Representatives, where members serve two-year terms, all 435 seats are up for election. And in the Senate, where lawmakers serve staggered six-year terms, 33 of the 100 seats will be decided. But that’s not all—there are elections for governor in 36 states, as well as more than 6,000 state legislative races across 46 states.

“The makeup of government is determined as much by the midterm elections as it is by the presidential elections,” says Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “Essentially every major [elected] office is on the ballot.”

In the House of Representatives, members serve two-year terms. All 435 seats are up for election. In the Senate, lawmakers serve staggered six-year terms. Thirty-three of the 100 seats will be decided. But that’s not all. There are elections for governor in 36 states and more than 6,000 state legislative races across 46 states.

40%

AVERAGE TURNOUT among U.S. voters in midterms. That compares with about 60 percent in presidential election years.

^{Source: fairvote.org}

AVERAGE TURNOUT among U.S. voters in midterms. That compares with about 60 percent in presidential election years.

^{Source: fairvote.org}

The magic number to win a majority in the House is 218 seats. Republicans currently hold 219 seats and Democrats 212 (see “Who Controls Congress?,” below). To take control of the House, Democrats need to hold onto the same number of seats they have, and win six more.

In the Senate, Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. To take control, Democrats need to hold onto their current seats and flip four Republican-held ones in the nine states where the races are seen as competitive. Those are in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. However, President Trump carried all of them except Maine and New Hampshire in 2024, and many experts predict a tougher challenge for Democrats in the Senate.

The magic number to win a majority in the House is 218 seats. Republicans currently hold 219 seats and Democrats 212 (see “Who Controls Congress?,” below). To take control of the House, Democrats need to hold onto the same number of seats, and they need to win six more.

In the Senate, Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. To take control, Democrats need to keep their current seats and flip four Republican-held ones. There are nine states where the races are seen as competitive. Those are in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. President Trump carried all of them except Maine and New Hampshire in 2024. Many experts predict a tougher challenge for Democrats in the Senate.

Who Controls Congress?

Republicans hold slim majorities in both the House and the Senate. In the midterm elections, voters will determine control of both chambers.

2. Why are the midterms important?

While fewer voters typically turn out for midterm elections compared with presidential elections, that doesn’t make them any less significant.

“The midterms often act as engines of change, particularly in the House of Representatives,” says Kyle Kondik of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Midterm elections are viewed as a chance for voters to give the president a report card on the state of the nation. Historically, the party in power almost always loses seats in Congress during the midterms, as has happened in 37 out of 41 midterm elections since 1862.

During the last midterm elections, in 2022, when Joe Biden was president, Republicans won control of the House, gaining nine seats, while Democrats retained control of the Senate. In 2018, during President Trump’s first term, Democrats took the House, winning 40 seats, while Republicans held onto the Senate.

In this year’s midterms, the political environment favors Democrats, many experts say. President Trump’s approval rating has hovered near 39 percent in recent months, a low point for both of his administrations.

Trump won reelection in 2024 after promising to lower prices for Americans. Yet inflation remains high, and many voters cite the economy as a top issue, according to polling by Emerson College in Boston (see “On Voters’ Minds,” below).

But election outcomes are difficult to predict. And support for Trump within his party is strong. His approval rating among Republicans is above 80 percent.

While fewer voters typically turn out for midterm elections compared with presidential elections, that doesn’t make them any less significant.

“The midterms often act as engines of change, particularly in the House of Representatives,” says Kyle Kondik of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Midterm elections are viewed as a chance for voters to give the president a report card. Historically, the party in power almost always loses seats in Congress during the midterms. This has happened in 37 out of 41 midterm elections since 1862.

During the last midterm elections, in 2022, when Joe Biden was president, Republicans won control of the House. They gained nine seats. The Democrats retained control of the Senate. In 2018, during President Trump’s first term, Democrats took the House. They won 40 seats. Republicans held onto the Senate.

Trump won reelection in 2024 after promising to lower prices for Americans. Yet inflation remains high. Many voters cite the economy as a top issue, according to polling by Emerson College in Boston (see “On Voters’ Minds,” below).

But election outcomes are difficult to predict. And support for Trump within his party is strong. His approval rating among Republicans is above 80 percent.

3. Why has there been so much redistricting Lately, and how could it affect the Midterms?

Congressional maps are usually redrawn only once a decade to reflect population shifts after the U.S. Census. That process is known as redistricting. But this year, both political parties are engaging in rare mid-decade redistricting to try to gain an advantage in the midterms.

At President Trump’s direction, the Republican-controlled state legislature in Texas redrew the borders of its congressional districts to create more of them that favored Republican candidates. Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio followed suit. California and Utah have updated their maps to add more Democratic-favored seats.

Congressional maps are usually redrawn only once a decade to reflect population shifts after the U.S. Census. The process is known as redistricting. But this year, both political parties are engaging in rare mid-decade redistricting. Each party is trying to gain an advantage in the midterms.

At President Trump’s direction, the Republican-controlled state legislature in Texas redrew the borders of its congressional districts. It created more of them that favored Republican candidates. Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio followed suit. California and Utah have updated their maps to add more Democratic-favored seats.

Both political parties are engaging in mid-decade redistricting.

Additional redistricting has occurred in response to the Supreme Court’s April ruling in the case Louisiana v. Callais. A group of White voters had challenged new Louisiana voting maps that included two majority Black districts, saying that state lawmakers illegally segregated voters based on race. The drawing of majority Black districts dates back to the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which allowed them as a remedy for past discrimination. But the Supreme Court ruled this year that the districts were unconstitutional. After the ruling, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee changed their voter maps, making them more Republican friendly.

The recent redistricting push contributes to the growing trend of holding less competitive elections in the U.S. Fewer than one-tenth of the 435 House races this November are expected to be close. Fewer competitive House races means a smaller number of Americans in those contested districts will essentially decide which party controls the House.

Many experts say the redistricting overall has given Republicans a structural advantage.

“The map ultimately got better for Republicans as a result of all this redistricting,” Kondik says.

Additional redistricting has occurred in response to the Supreme Court’s April ruling in the case Louisiana v. Callais. A group of White voters had challenged new Louisiana voting maps that included two majority Black districts. They said that state lawmakers illegally segregated voters based on race. The drawing of majority Black districts dates back to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. It allowed them as a remedy for past discrimination. But the Supreme Court ruled this year that the districts were unconstitutional. After the ruling, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee changed their voter maps, making them more Republican friendly.

The recent redistricting push contributes to the growing trend of holding less competitive elections in the U.S. Fewer than one-tenth of the 435 House races this November are expected to be close. Fewer competitive House races means a smaller number of Americans will essentially decide which party controls the House.

Many experts say the redistricting overall has given Republicans a structural advantage.

“The map ultimately got better for Republicans as a result of all this redistricting,” Kondik says.

4. What role could young voters play?

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The Youth Vote: 8.5 million potential voters have turned 18 since 2024.

The nearly 50 million voters under 30 could play an important role in the midterms, experts say. Fifty-six percent of potential voters ages 18 to 29 say they plan to turn out for the midterm elections, according to recent survey data from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts.

While it’s hard to predict exactly what youth turnout will be, says Strong, the data “represents a measure of young people’s very high interest in this election.”

Historically, young voters have turned out at lower rates than older Americans. But in more recent election cycles, youth turnout has trended higher, reaching a record of 50 percent in the 2020 presidential election. Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) has voted at higher rates than previous generations did when they were the same age, according to CIRCLE.

The economy—particularly inflation—is the top concern among Gen Zers, according to multiple surveys. Other top issues for young voters include affordable housing, health care costs, and protecting democracy. High youth voter turnout could have a decisive effect on some of the closest races, experts say.

“Especially in some of these very competitive Senate races, even a small increase in the turnout of young people could really change the outcome,” Burden of the University of Wisconsin–Madison says.

The nearly 50 million voters under 30 could play an important role in the midterms, experts say. Fifty-six percent of potential voters ages 18 to 29 say they plan to turn out for the midterm elections. This is according to recent survey data from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts.

It is hard to predict youth turnout. However, Strong says the data “represents a measure of young people’s very high interest in this election.”

Historically, young voters have turned out at lower rates than older Americans. But in more recent election cycles, youth turnout has trended higher. It reached a record of 50 percent in the 2020 presidential election. Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) has voted at higher rates than previous generations did when they were the same age, according to CIRCLE.

5. How might the outcome of the midterms affect the rest of President Trump’s second term?

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A Democratic-controlled House could make it difficult for President Trump to continue enacting his legislative agenda. The Democrats could use a House or Senate majority to block any legislation they don’t like. And they could also try to pursue their own legislative priorities, including lowering the cost of living and protecting voting rights. In addition, they could launch congressional investigations of the president and his policies.

If Republicans maintain control of Congress, the final two years of President Trump’s term could be very similar to the first half, experts say, with legislative priorities such as border security, restricting immigration, and cutting taxes.

Whatever the outcome of the midterms on November 3, they will set the stage for thinking about the 2028 presidential race.

“It will get underway pretty quickly after the midterms,” Burden says. The slate of candidates for each party “will be affected by whether the Democrats or Republicans have made gains in the midterm elections.”

A Democratic-controlled House could make it difficult for President Trump to continue with his legislative agenda. The Democrats could use a House or Senate majority to block any legislation they don’t like. And they could also try to pursue their own legislative priorities. This includes lowering the cost of living and protecting voting rights. In addition, they could launch congressional investigations of the president and his policies.

If Republicans maintain control of Congress, the final two years of President Trump’s term could be very similar to the first half, experts say. Legislative priorities would include border security, restricting immigration, and cutting taxes.

Whatever the outcome of the midterms on November 3, they will set the stage for the 2028 presidential race.

America’s Two-Party System

A brief history of the rise of the two major parties and attempts to create a third alternative

^{With reporting by Ashley Wu of The New York Times.}

The Teen Who Wants to Be Governor

Dean Roy, a 15-year-old Vermont student, hopes his campaign will inspire young people to participate more in the nation’s democracy.

Most teenagers spend their afternoons doing homework, hanging out with friends, or scrolling through TikTok. Dean Roy spends many of his campaigning for governor.

A 15-year-old sophomore at Stowe High School in Vermont, Roy will become the first person under 18 to appear on Vermont’s general election ballot as a gubernatorial candidate. Vermont’s state constitution, unlike most others around the nation, sets no minimum age requirement for the office of governor.

“I think my campaign comes from a new perspective because I am more focused on the future rather than the present,” says Roy, who isn’t old enough to vote in the election.

He isn’t the first teen seeking to lead a state. After six teenagers ran for governor in Kansas in 2018, lawmakers there raised the age requirement to 25. Vermont, however, has a tradition of listening to unorthodox political voices.

“In Vermont, we take candidates seriously regardless of their age,” says Bert Johnson, a professor of political science at Middlebury College. “I would expect no different in the case of Dean Roy.”

In 2018, another Vermont teen, Ethan Sonneborn, ran for governor but received only 4,600 votes in the Democratic primary and didn’t come close to winning the party’s nomination.

Most teenagers spend their afternoons doing homework, hanging out with friends, or scrolling through TikTok. Dean Roy spends many of his campaigning for governor.

Roy is a 15-year-old sophomore at Stowe High School in Vermont. He will become the first person under 18 to appear on Vermont’s general election ballot as a candidate for governor. Vermont’s state constitution, unlike most others around the nation, sets no minimum age requirement for the office of governor.

“I think my campaign comes from a new perspective because I am more focused on the future rather than the present,” says Roy. He isn’t old enough to vote in the election.

Roy isn’t the first teen seeking to lead a state. Six teenagers ran for governor in Kansas in 2018. That prompted lawmakers there to raise the age requirement to 25. Vermont, however, has a tradition of listening to people with different political views.

In 2018, another Vermont teen, Ethan Sonneborn, ran for governor. He received only 4,600 votes in the Democratic primary and didn’t come close to winning the party’s nomination.

‘In Vermont, we take candidates seriously regardless of their age.’

To secure his spot in the general election, Roy created his own third party, the Freedom and Unity Party, and gathered the required 500 signatures from prospective voters. He has no paid staff or fundraising operation. He produces campaign videos for TikTok and Instagram with help from friends, and goes door-to-door asking for votes when he’s not busy with his homework.

Younger voters, he says, tend to take him more seriously.

“But as people get older, they tend to be a lot more critical of me, which I understand,” Roy acknowledges.

He’s focused his campaign on issues such as housing, education, and health care reform. He argues that Vermont faces a severe shortage of affordable homes and that outdated regulations make it harder to build, particularly affecting younger residents who want to stay in the state.

Some experts believe Vermont would do well to listen to what Roy has to say. The state has one of the oldest populations in the country—the median age is about 44, compared with 39 nationwide—and it has struggled to keep young residents from leaving.

“I think that a lot of Vermonters are and would be excited to see a young person, a teenager, saying, ‘I care enough about the state that I want to stay here and serve in government,’ ” says Shaun Robinson, a political reporter at the online news outlet VTDigger.

Roy just hopes voters keep an open mind.

“I would encourage people to disregard my age just for a moment,” he says. “Maybe they’ll learn that they agree with me on a few issues.”

To secure his spot in the general election, Roy created his own third party, the Freedom and Unity Party. He gathered the required 500 signatures from prospective voters. Roy has no paid staff or fundraising operation. He produces campaign videos for TikTok and Instagram with help from friends. He goes door-to-door asking for votes when he’s not busy with his homework.

Younger voters, he says, tend to take him more seriously.

“But as people get older, they tend to be a lot more critical of me, which I understand,” Roy says.

He’s focused his campaign on issues such as housing, education, and health care reform. He argues that Vermont faces a severe shortage of affordable homes and that outdated regulations make it harder to build. This shortage particularly affects younger residents who want to stay in the state.

Some experts believe Vermont would do well to listen to what Roy has to say. The state has one of the oldest populations in the country. The median age there is about 44, compared with 39 nationwide. The state has struggled to keep young residents from leaving.

Roy just hopes voters keep an open mind.

“I would encourage people to disregard my age just for a moment,” he says. “Maybe they’ll learn that they agree with me on a few issues.”