{"id":1754,"date":"2026-06-02T09:33:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T09:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1754"},"modified":"2026-06-02T09:33:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T09:33:28","slug":"can-democrats-take-the-senate-here-are-the-key-races-to-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1754","title":{"rendered":"Can Democrats take the Senate? Here are the key races to watch."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Midterm elections are taking shape across the country, and Democrats are increasingly optimistic about their chances to retake the US Senate. <\/span><\/p>\n

Read more From Graham Platner to Ken Paxton, do scandals even mean anything to voters anymore?<\/a><\/p>\n

There are far too many factors between now and November to say which race will be decided with certainty, including a number of outstanding primary contests that will determine the final November matchups. But a path exists for Democrats to flip control of the upper chamber of Congress. To do so, the party needs to hold onto three battleground seats and flip four others. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a rundown of nine Senate races we\u2019re watching. Race ratings are based on the latest analysis from the Cook Political Report. Check back, as we will update this tracker as primary contests around the country conclude and the political winds shift. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Races with outstanding primary results:<\/b><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Iowa<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Primary date: June 2<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What to know:Republican Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is retiring, and Democrats are hoping to flip her seat in a state they haven\u2019t won a federal office in since Barack Obama\u2019s presidential reelectionin 2012. Josh Turek, a state representative, and Zach Wahls, a state senator, are vying for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday. US Representative Ashley Hinson is favored to win her state\u2019s GOP nomination.<\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Likely Republican. Cook updated its rating from \u201cleans Republican\u201d to \u201clikely Republican\u201d on June 4, 2025.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Maine<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Primary date: June 9<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What to know: Maine\u2019s general election ballot is nearly set between incumbent Republican Susan Collins and progressive Graham Platner, after Governor Janet Mills suspended her bid for the Democratic nomination in April. Collins, 73, is facing questions about her age and closeness to President Trump, who\u2019s lost all three of his presidential bids in the state. Platner is facing tough scrutiny about his past as he tries to flip a seat Collins has held since 1997.<\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Tossup. Cook updated its rating from \u201cleans Republican\u201d to a \u201ctossup\u201d race on October 14, 2025.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Georgia <\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Primary runoff date: June 16<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What to know: Two Republicans are vying for the party\u2019s nomination in a primary runoff on June 16 \u2014 US Representative Mike Collins, a Trump ally, and Derek Dooley, a former NFL and college football coach who\u2019s been backed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. TheDemocratic incumbent, Senator Jon Ossoff, ran uncontested for his party\u2019s nomination and is seeking a second term. <\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Leans Democrat. Cook updated its rating from a \u201dtoss<\/i>up” race to \u201cleans Democrat\u201d on April 13.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Michigan<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Primary date: August 4<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What to know: Three Democrats are running for their party\u2019s nomination in what\u2019s shaping up to be a messy race: State Senator Mallory McMorrow, US Representative Haley Stevens, and Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official. Former US Representative Mike Rogers, who lost a bid for the US House in 2024 by less than 20,000 votes, is running uncontested for the GOP nomination and hoping to flip retiring Senator Gary Peters\u2019 seat. <\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Monday\u2019s softball roundup: Methuen strikes early for Div. 1 win at Needham<\/a><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Tossup. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Alaska<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Primary date: August 18<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What to know: Former US Representative Mary Peltola, the favored Democratic nominee, is hoping to kick out incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who\u2019s running for a third term. Peltola won a special election for Alaska\u2019s lone House seat in 2022, but lost to US Representative Nick Begich in 2024 by just 2 points. <\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Leans Republican. Cook updated its rating from a \u201csolid Republican\u201d race to \u201cleans Republican\u201d on January 12.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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New Hampshire <\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Primary date: September 8<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What to know:With Democratic Senate Jeanne Shaheen not seeking reelection, Republicans are hoping for a chance to flip a seat in a purple statethat\u2019s elected an all-Democratic congressional delegation since 2017. Former Senator John Sununu, whom Shaheen oustedin 2008, is running with President Trump\u2019s endorsement for the GOP nomination against former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown. Brown moved to New Hampshire after losing his seat in 2014 (to Elizabeth Warren) and served as Trump\u2019s ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during his first administration. US Representative Chris Pappas is favored to winthe Democratic nomination. <\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Leans Democrat. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Races that are set for November:<\/b><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Texas<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What to know: Democrats are honing in on the race for Senate John Cornyn\u2019s seat, who lost in the GOP primary runoff to President Trump\u2019s pick, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. State Representative James Talarico won the Democratic nomination over US Representative Jasmine Crockett in March and has brought in a massive amount of campaign cash since. Democrats are focusing on Paxton\u2019s long line of scandals, including an impeachment and criminal fraud charges, while Republicans are attacking Talarico on culture war topics. <\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Leans Republican. Cook updated its rating from \u201clikely Republican\u201d to \u201cleans Republican\u201d on May 27, after Paxton won the GOP nomination. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Ohio<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What to know:GOP Senator Jon Husted, Ohio\u2019s former lieutenant governor, was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to replace Vice President JD Vance after the 2024 election. Husted is fighting to keep his seat against Sherrod Brown, a former three-term Democratic Senator who lost to Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024. Democrats are hoping Brown\u2019s name recognition and moderate platform can help them get back to a split Senate delegation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Tossup. Cook updated its rating from \u201cleans Republican\u201d to a \u201ctoss<\/i>up\u201d race on April 13. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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North Carolina<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What to know: Democrats\u2019 likely best chance at flipping a Senate seat is in North Carolina, where Republican Senator Thom Tillis is retiring. Former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper is up against Michael Whatley, whom President Trump picked to run the Republican National Committee after his 2024 win. Cooper left office in 2025 after serving two terms and outperformed Democrats in both of his gubernatorial elections in 2016 and 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Race Rating: Leans Democrat. Cook updated its rating from a \u201ctoss<\/i>up\u201d race to \u201cleans Democrat\u201d on April 13. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Monday\u2019s baseball roundup: With his arm and bat, Eric Stanley sends Barnstable past Duxbury<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A potentail path exists for Democrats to flip control of the upper chamber of Congress. See where their chances stand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nCan Democrats take the Senate? Here are the key races to watch. - Boston Relocation Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1754\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can Democrats take the Senate? 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