The race for key Senate contests in 2026 is already getting underway, with a few major potential candidates hinting they may join the race.

Republicans won back control of the Senate in the 2024 elections in early November, picking up four seats for a 53-47 majority in the body, the largest margin for either party since the 2018 midterms. Democrats will now seek to go back on offense to try to win the majority and place a check on the incoming Trump administration.

Here are the seven most competitive Senate races to watch for in 2026:

Maine

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has been a top target for Democrats for years as a Republican senator in a state that leans Democratic in statewide elections. Though they have been unable to pick her off in the past, she will almost certainly be the top target for Democrats in 2026.

Whether Collins runs may be key to the GOP’s chances of holding on to the seat. She told reporters shortly after Election Day that she plans to seek a sixth term in office, which would make her the longest-serving senator in Maine’s history.

As a more moderate senator who sometimes bucks the GOP in votes, Collins could face a primary challenge from the right, but she almost certainly is the strongest candidate Republicans could have in the general election.

Democrats were enthused about former state House Speaker Sara Gideon’s chances in 2020 only for her to lose by more than 8 points, making the race a tough challenge for whoever the party’s nominee will be.

North Carolina

Democrats have had their eye on North Carolina on the federal level since former President Obama carried the........

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