US Senate Elections 2026

Senate Democrats Split Over Graham Platner

Ronald 4 Comments

The victory of Graham Platner in the Maine Democratic primary for the US Senate was overwhelming, but has split many Senate Democrats, who retain doubts about the controversial history of their party’s nominee.

Among those registering doubts and misgivings are:

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly
New Mexico Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen
New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth
Vermont Senator Peter Welch

At the same time, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and other progressive oriented Democrats emphasize the need to support Platner despite his shortcomings.

The vast majority of Democratic Senators are seeing Platner as their best hope to reach a Senate majority in the Midterm Elections of 2026.

And they point out that despite his checkered record on many fronts, the opposition Republicans have so many more checkered backgrounds, including, most notably:

Donald Trump
Pete Hegseth
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Ken Paxton

The clear conclusion is that there are few “saints” in politics, and that the American people have overlooked or had to accept shortcomings in candidates over many years.

The days of candidates, such as Gary Hart, Bob Packwood and Eric Swalwell losing their careers due to their misbehaviors, seem even more distant than the 1980s and early 1990s, when ethics and morals seemed to matter more.

This author and blogger is very uncomfortable with Platner, but every effort to gain a Democratic majority in the Senate is essential, in order to fight to resist and reverse a lot of the damage of the Trump Presidency, and gain the recovery of American democracy and the rule of law.

This author and blogger is glad he does not live in Maine, as voting directly for Platner, who comes across as unseemly in so many ways, would be a very difficult effort.

But his record is just about the same as Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who is not beneath vicious, unwarranted attacks on his opponent, Democrat James Talarico, so the mud slinging on both sides in this midterm election cycle is already in full swing.

“Fight Club” Democrats In Senate Resist Leadership Of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

Ronald 11 Comments

A substantial group of leftward leaning Senate Democrats have resisted the leadership of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and are in process of pushing for a more leftward trend by Democrats nationally, and have been labeled “Fight Club”.

This group, includes the following Senators:

Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
Tina Smith of Minnesota
Chris Murphy of Connecticut
Bernie Sanders of Vermont
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
Ed Markey of Massachusetts
Jeff Merkley of Oregon
Martin Heinrich of New Mexico

and some House Democrats are also promoting a more leftward trend, including:

Ro Khanna of California
Pramila Jayapal of Washington
Yassamin Ansari of Arizona
Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts

Already, this Senate group has “won” with the withdrawal from the Maine Senate race of Governor Janet Mills, leading to the clear nomination of “rabble-rouser” Oyster Farmer, Graham Platner, to oppose Republican Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming Midterm Elections of 2026.

Whether this strategy of challenging the “Establishment” Democrats will work is yet to be seen, but there is a battle going on for how the Democrats should approach the challenge of Donald Trump, with the hope that it would lead to Democratic control of the US Senate in the 120th Congress (2027-2029).

Among those states with competitive Democratic Senate primaries, besides what Maine was until yesterday, are the following which are favored over others:

Michigan–Abdul El-Sayed or Mallory McMorrow over Haley Stevens
Minnesota–Peggy Flanagan over Angie Craig

However, the “Fight Club” is not opposing:

North Carolina–Roy Cooper
Ohio–Sherrod Brown
Alaska–Mary Peltola
Georgia–Jon Ossoff

And already, Julia Stratton in Illinois and James Talarico in Texas are major positives in the “Fight Club” view.

The election returns in November will give the answer as to whether the leftward tilt was the smart way to go!

Odds Of Democratic Senate Majority Growing

Ronald 23 Comments

The odds of a Democratic Senate majority in the upcoming 120th Congress (2027-2029) are growing, based on recent estimates and judgments of political experts.

A total of four additional Democratic victors, and preservation of three contested Democratic seats, are the challenge the party faces in 2026.

At least six seats are in play that are presently Republican held seats:

Alaska–Mary Peltola
Ohio–Sherrod Brown
Maine–Graham Platner or Janet Mills
North Carolina–Roy Cooper
Texas–James Talarico
Iowa–Josh Turek or Zach Wahls

Nebraska, with an Independent, Dan Osborn, and Montana, with an Independent, Seth Bodnar, are “wild cards” as well.

And Florida, with Alexander Vindman or Angie Nixon is also perceived as a long shot.

Of course, New Hampshire with Chris Pappas; Georgia with Jon Ossoff up for reelection; and Michigan with Abdul El-Sayed, Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens, are Democratic states with major challenges to keep the seats.