JUST IN: Brutal Senate Forecast Spells Disaster For Democrats In 2026

Democrats, already cast out into the political wilderness for the next two years, don’t appear on track to take back power anytime soon.

That’s the summary from Cook Political Report, which recently took a fresh look at U.S. Senate rankings for the 2026 elections. If projections hold, Republicans appear on track to keep their majority by a healthy handful of seats, putting them in the driver’s seat for a host of opportunities in President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.

In addition to passing legislation, the Senate is responsible for confirming all federal judicial nominations put forward by the Trump administration, including the Supreme Court, where observers believe the Republican president will have at least one more chance to add another justice. That would cement his legacy on the nine-member court, where he has already appointed three conservative members.

Currently, Republican senators hold a 53-seat majority and enjoy the luxury of Vice President J.D. Vance casting a tie-breaking vote if needed. According to Cook, the party of Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is on track to return in 2027 with at least 53 seats.

Some of the most closely watched races with Republican incumbents will be in Maine and North Carolina, where Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) will ostensibly seek additional six-year terms. Collins is the last remaining moderate New England Republican senator but has managed to subsist in the age of Trump, casting votes for two of his three Supreme Court nominees.

Similarly, Tillis recently voted to confirm Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, but only after encouraging the longtime Fox personality’s ex-sister-in-law to come forward with additional allegations about scandalous behavior, leading some conservatives to believe he was looking for a way out. He faces a primary challenge from Andy Nilsson, a retired businessman and former candidate for lieutenant governor, in a state President Trump won by 3 points last year.

More certain are the good fortunes of Republican senators or candidates in Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Alaska. Of them, only Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is retiring, and GOP Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) is a heavy favorite to pick up his seat.

In Florida, Republicans are favored to retain the seat of Marco Rubio. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently appointed former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to hold the seat before running in a special election that she is favored to win.

Barring any surprises, the GOP map appears to be one of the most formidable in years.

On the flip side, Democrats must contend with a tossup election in Michigan, where longtime Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) recently announced that he would not be seeking a third term. In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) must endure the marquee Senate race of 2026 and reportedly encouraged the state Democratic Party chair to resign following Trump’s 2024 win there.

“For four years we have been laying the groundwork and are already building the most effective, the most massive and the best resourced effort to empower an overwhelming and victorious coalition in 2026,” Ossoff said in a statement to The Hill.