The 2026 midterms approach with Congress, and the vote itself, in question
With 99 days to go, primaries, a shutdown fight, $4.06 gasoline and disputes over the vote's integrity are defining the contest for the 120th Congress.
The 2026 United States midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, 2026, during President Donald Trump's second term. All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be contested, determining the 120th Congress. Democrats need a net gain of three seats to win a House majority.
Voters in five states — Michigan, Virginia, Kansas, Missouri and Washington — have cast primary ballots to select candidates for the November midterm elections, with the Michigan Senate race drawing particular attention and Abdul El-Sayed winning his race there. The contests come as the Senate passed a government funding bill by a 90-6 vote to keep the government running through the elections, pending House approval. The 2026 midterms are scheduled largely for November 3, during President Donald Trump's nonconsecutive second term. All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are contested, determining the 120th Congress. As of late July, with 99 days to go, Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to win a House majority. The stakes extend beyond control of Congress. Gasoline prices averaging $4.06 per gallon have fed voter discontent, while a commentator with experience documenting democratic erosion has raised concerns about whether the November vote will be free and fair.
Ninety-nine days out, control of Congress hangs in the balance
The 2026 United States midterm elections are scheduled largely for November 3, 2026, falling near the midpoint of President Donald Trump's nonconsecutive second term. As is standard for midterms — general elections held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November — every seat in the House of Representatives will be on the ballot, along with a third of the Senate. This year that means all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats, with the results determining the composition of the 120th Congress.
The arithmetic in the House is tight. As of late July, Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to win a majority, a margin small enough to put a wide range of individual districts in play. Control of the chamber would give the party committee gavels, subpoena power and the ability to block or advance the president's legislative agenda for the final two years of his term.
The Senate map presents its own contest, with 35 seats up rather than the 33 or 34 typical of a midterm cycle. Together the two chambers will decide whether Trump governs with friendly majorities through 2028 or faces a divided Washington.
The countdown is well under way. As of late July 2026, the elections were 99 days away, leaving campaigns a little over three months to make their case to voters.
Five states pick their candidates as Michigan takes the spotlight
Voters in five states — Michigan, Virginia, Kansas, Missouri and Washington — went to the polls to choose the candidates who will carry their parties' banners into the November midterms. Of all the contests on the ballot, the Senate race in Michigan drew the most attention, a reflection of the state's status as a battleground where control of the upper chamber could be decided.
Among the night's results, Abdul El-Sayed won his race in Michigan, securing a place on the November ticket. His victory was the standout result of a primary day that stretched from the Midwest to the Pacific coast.
Primary contests of this kind serve as the first real test of the 2026 campaign. They determine not just who appears on the ballot in November, but what kind of candidates each party is putting forward in the races that will decide the 120th Congress. With all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats in play, the choices made by primary voters in these five states will shape the field in some of the most closely watched contests of the cycle.
The results in Michigan in particular will now be read for signals about the mood of the electorate, as both parties turn their attention to the general election campaign ahead.
The Senate moves to avert a shutdown before voters go to the polls
The Senate voted 90-6 to pass a government funding bill that would keep federal operations running through the November midterm elections, an overwhelming bipartisan margin that leaves the measure awaiting approval by the House of Representatives. Whether the House will act on the bill, and in what form, remains unclear.
A separate report indicated the Senate also passed a bill extending government funding through December 11 in an effort to prevent a shutdown ahead of the vote, according to accounts of the chamber's actions. It is not yet known whether that December 11 extension and the funding-through-the-midterms measure are the same bill or two distinct measures, and the Senate's public actions have been described in terms that leave the question open.
The timing is deliberate on its face. A government shutdown in the weeks before voters go to the polls would hand both parties a volatile issue in the closing stretch of the campaign, and the lopsided Senate vote suggests an appetite in that chamber to take the risk off the table. The House, where control is at stake in November, has yet to signal how it will proceed. Until it does, the prospect of a funding lapse in the final weeks before the election remains live.
Gasoline at $4.06 and a slow-burning Iran standoff shape the mood
The price at the pump is one of the clearest measures of voter mood heading into November. US gasoline averaged $4.06 per gallon on the Thursday before the report, a figure described as a source of discontent among the electorate as the midterm elections approach. Fuel costs touch nearly every household, and sustained prices at that level have historically weighed on the party holding the White House.
Foreign policy is adding its own pressure. According to the report, Tehran has adopted a drawn-out negotiating timetable designed to keep President Donald Trump engaged in the Iran conflict until the midterms. The strategy, if it holds, would ensure the confrontation remains unresolved — and in the headlines — as Americans decide control of Congress. Rather than seeking a swift settlement, Iranian negotiators appear to be pacing talks to run through the election calendar itself.
Together the two pressures frame the domestic backdrop of the campaign. Voters confronting $4.06 gasoline are simultaneously watching an open-ended standoff with Iran, one that the president's opponents can cast as a distraction from costs at home and his supporters can present as a test of resolve. Neither issue shows signs of fading before ballots are cast.
Warnings over whether the vote will be free and fair
With the election less than four months away, doubts about its integrity have moved from the margins into mainstream commentary. One commentator with experience documenting democratic erosion has raised concerns about whether the November vote will be free and fair.
President Trump has done little to quiet those doubts. In a July 16 speech, he repeated his claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him and said he had documents showing a broken election system, according to reports. One report said he claimed there was an ongoing election interference coverup, without providing evidence.
The administration has also applied pressure on the states that will run the vote. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned state officials they could lose funding or face investigations if they do not comply with the administration's election-related demands, according to reports. His warning echoed the president's own claims about risks surrounding the midterms.
Critics have read a pattern into these moves. A commentary published by bangordailynews.com characterised Trump's actions as sabotage of the midterm elections. A report published by msn.com described them as laying the groundwork to reject the 2026 results.
Others have pushed back on constitutional grounds. One commentary argued that authority over structuring congressional elections rests with state and federal legislatures, not the president — a reminder that however loud the rhetoric from the White House, the legal power over how Americans vote lies elsewhere.
A Dallas convention and Musk's America PAC signal an unusual campaign
President Trump has announced that Republicans will hold a national convention in Dallas ahead of the midterm vote. According to reports, the gathering would be the first national convention the party has staged before a midterm election, a break with the tradition of reserving such events for presidential years. The move suggests Republicans intend to run the 2026 campaign with the scale and choreography of a presidential race, with Mr Trump at its centre even though his name is not on the ballot.
Money is another variable. A Newsweek analysis identified the states where a revived America PAC, the political operation associated with Elon Musk, could have the greatest impact in the midterms. According to the analysis, the group's spending could prove most consequential in a defined set of contests, though it remains unclear whether the PAC will ultimately deploy significant funds this cycle. Together, the planned Dallas convention and the prospect of Musk-backed spending point to a midterm campaign shaped heavily by the president and his most prominent ally.
What to watch between now and November 3
The immediate test is in the House of Representatives, which must still approve the Senate-passed funding bill that cleared the upper chamber 90-6. A separate measure extending funding through December 11 was also reported; whether the two are the same bill or distinct steps is not yet clear. Failure to act would risk a shutdown in the final stretch of the campaign.
Beyond that, the calendar runs to November 3, when all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be decided, determining the 120th Congress. Democrats need a net gain of three seats for a House majority.
Several questions remain open. President Trump has announced a Republican national convention in Dallas — reportedly the party's first before a midterm — but whether it takes place is unknown. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has warned state officials they could lose funding or face investigations for defying the administration's election demands, according to reports; whether states comply remains to be seen. And a Newsweek analysis mapped where a revived America PAC tied to Elon Musk could matter most, though it is not yet known whether the group will spend at all.
President Trump repeated his claim that the 2020 election was stolen and said he had documents showing a broken election system.
With 99 days remaining until the midterms, Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to win a House majority.
Voters in Michigan, Virginia, Kansas, Missouri and Washington cast primary ballots, with Abdul El-Sayed winning his Michigan race and the Michigan Senate contest drawing attention.
The Senate passed a government funding bill by a 90-6 vote to keep the government funded through the midterm elections, pending House approval.
The Senate passed a bill extending government funding through December 11 to avert a shutdown before the midterm elections.
President Trump announced Republicans would hold a national convention in Dallas, the party's first such gathering before a midterm election.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned state officials they could lose funding or face investigations if they did not comply with the administration's election-related demands.
US gasoline prices averaged $4.06 per gallon, described as a source of voter discontent before the midterm elections.
The 2026 midterm elections were scheduled, with all 435 House seats and 35 of 100 Senate seats contested to determine the 120th Congress.
Frequently asked questions
When are the 2026 US midterm elections?
The 2026 United States midterm elections are scheduled largely for November 3, 2026, during President Donald Trump's nonconsecutive second term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be contested, determining the makeup of the 120th Congress.
How many House and Senate seats are up in the 2026 midterms?
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up for election. As of late July 2026, with 99 days until the vote, Democrats needed a net gain of three seats to win a majority in the House.
Did the Senate pass a bill to avoid a government shutdown before the midterms?
The Senate passed a government funding bill by a 90-6 vote that would keep the government funded through the midterm elections, pending approval by the House of Representatives. Reports also described a Senate bill extending funding through December 11 to avert a shutdown before the vote.
Which states held primaries ahead of the 2026 midterms?
Voters in Michigan, Virginia, Kansas, Missouri and Washington cast ballots in primary contests to determine candidates for the November midterms. Abdul El-Sayed won his race in Michigan, and the Michigan Senate contest drew particular attention.
What concerns have been raised about the fairness of the 2026 midterms?
A commentator with experience documenting democratic erosion raised concerns about whether the November elections would be free and fair. According to reports, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned state officials they could lose funding or face investigations if they did not comply with the administration's election-related demands. Trump also repeated his claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
Compiled from reporting by 11 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
