Tag: U.S. Senate
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Rep. Seth Moulton becomes the 11th U.S. House member who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) announced on Oct. 15, 2025, that he will run to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate in 2026 rather than for another term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Politico’s Kelly Garrity wrote that “Moulton will challenge Sen. Ed Markey for his Senate seat in 2026, setting up one of the…
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Nine states have changed their recount laws in 2025
In the 2026 midterms, some elections could be decided by thin margins. In 2024, three U.S. Senate races and six U.S. House races were decided by less than one percentage point. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the states that have been updating their recount laws this year. State recount laws differ…
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Michael Waltz confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Michael Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sept. 19, 2025. The Senate voted 47-43 in favor of his nomination, with 44 Republicans and three Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), voting in favor. There were 41 Democrats who voted against…
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2026 could see the most Senators run again after leaving office since 2012 and 2014
Former U.S. Senator John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) says he is considering running for Senate in New Hampshire in 2026, held by the retiring Jeanne Shaheen (D), who defeated him in 2008. If he were to run, he would have to face another former U.S. Senator, Scott Brown (R-Mass.), who was defeated by Elizabeth Warren (D)…
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Thirty-five members of Congress have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026
Thirty-five members of the U.S. Congress—eight U.S. Senate members and 27 U.S. House members—have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026. Compared to previous election cycles, 35 is the most retirement announcements we have tracked at this point since 2018. Since our Aug. 18 update, six U.S. House members and one U.S. Senate member…
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Senate Republicans invoke nuclear option to change nomination rules
On September 11, 2025, Senate Republicans voted to change chamber rules governing the nomination process for certain types of presidential nominees. The vote was 53-45, along party lines. This procedure, where a majority party changes a Senate rule or precedent through a simple majority vote, is often referred to as the nuclear option or constitutional…
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Rep. Ashley Hinson becomes the 10th U.S. House member who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) announced on Sept. 2, 2025, that she will run for the U.S. Senate in Iowa in 2026 rather than another term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat is open since incumbent Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) announced she would not seek re-election. As of Sept. 2, 2025, independent race forecasters…
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Sen. Joni Ernst becomes the eighth U.S. Senate member who is not seeking re-election in 2026
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) announced on Sept. 2, 2025, that she will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2026. On her retirement, Ernst said, “I never imagined this farm girl would have the opportunity to serve as a lieutenant colonel and then a United States senator. […] While this chapter of elected service…
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Rep. Barry Moore becomes the ninth representative to announce a U.S. Senate bid for 2026
Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) announced on Aug. 12, 2025, that he will run for the U.S. Senate in Alabama in 2026 rather than another term in the U.S. House of Representatives. As of Aug. 12, 2025, independent race forecasters The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have rated the general election for the seat as…
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Three U.S. senators have announced gubernatorial bids in 2026
On August 6, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) announced her bid for governor of Tennessee. Blackburn’s entrance in the race makes her the third sitting U.S. senator, along with Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), to announce bids for governor. The number of senators running for governor in 2026 is the highest since 2010, when…