The United States is now less than two months from its 2026 midterm elections, and campaigns across the country are entering their final, busiest stretch.
Every two years, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, along with roughly a third of the 100 seats in the Senate. This year's midterms, set for early November, will decide which party controls both chambers of Congress for the final two years of the current presidential term. Midterm elections historically tend to be difficult for the party that holds the White House, a pattern that has held in most election cycles over the past several decades, though the degree varies widely from year to year.
Individual House races in states from Delaware to New Hampshire are already drawing attention this cycle, with candidates in both parties campaigning actively as the fall stretch begins. Local and national party organizations have been working through the summer to finalize candidate slates, and fundraising activity typically accelerates sharply in the final two months before an election.
Beyond the House and Senate, many states will also hold elections for governor and other statewide offices this November, adding to the overall scale of the vote. Turnout in midterm years is traditionally lower than in presidential election years, which makes voter mobilization efforts by both parties especially important in the closing weeks.
Expect campaign spending, advertising and candidate travel to increase steadily over the coming weeks as both parties make their closing arguments to voters ahead of the November vote.
When is Election Day in 2026?
The general election falls in early November, as it does every even-numbered year in the United States.
Why do midterms matter even without a presidential race on the ballot?
They determine which party controls the House and Senate, which affects what legislation can pass for the remainder of the president's term.