...
By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The Democratic Party's chances of winning the U.S. Senate have increased as the party is ahead in four key races, according to new polling.
Surveys released this week show the party is performing well in three seats currently held by the GOP: Maine, Alaska and North Carolina. It is also leading in one seat held by the Democrats, New Hampshire. If the party wins these seats it will chip away at the Republican Party's majority in the chamber.
...
Read More on Politics
Why It Matters
Midterm elections can upset the balance of power in Congress. Traditionally, the party that does not hold the White House tends to do better in midterm elections.
This year, Republicans are defending a 53 seat majority in the Senate, with 35 seats up for grabs. If the Democrats win the Senate, they can undermine President Donald Trump's policy agenda and weaken his grip on power. However, analysis has suggested the GOP will still win the Senate and to win back control, the party must hold all three of its battleground defenses—Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire—while flipping at least four Republican‑held seats.
What To Know
Maine
GOP Senator Susan Collins is running for reelection against either progressive candidate Graham Platner or Governor Janet Mills. According to the latest Emerson College poll released this week, Platner is up 7 points over Collins in a general election (48 percent to 41 percent), while Mills led Collins by about 3 points (46 percent to 43 percent). It surveyed 1,075 likely voters from March 21-23, 2026, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
Alaska
According to an Alaska Survey Research poll, 52.4 percent of respondents backed former Representative Mary Peltola, a Democrat, compared to 47.6 percent who backed GOP Senator Dan Sullivan. The survey of 1,590 adults was conducted between March 19 and 22 with a margin of error between +/- 2.5 and +/- 3 percent.
Previously polling also showed Peltola held a lead over Sullivan by a smaller margin, suggesting her chances of success have increased.
An Alaskans for Mary spokesperson told Newsweek she was "the only candidate in this race" who will "put Alaska first."
North Carolina
Former Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley will face each other in November's midterms.
A Harper Polling survey showed Cooper was up 8 over Whatley (points (49 percent to 41 percent) in the swing state. It surveyed 600 likely voters from March 22-23, 2026 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, a light-blue state that the GOP hope to make gains in, Democratic Representative Chris Pappas holds a slim lead over one of his GOP rivals, John Sununu. He has 45 percent of the vote to Sununu's 44 percent.
“Democrats’ Senate candidates are a nightmare-lineup, not a dream team," a Republican National Committee spokesperson told Newsweek. "Graham Platner is a Nazi, Roy Cooper released over 3500 violent prisoners back onto the streets, and Mary Peltola put thousands of Alaskan jobs on the chopping block. Republicans look forward to forcing these nut jobs to answer for their extremism.”
Maine Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner said in October that he had covered up a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol that he got years ago. He added that he was not aware the skull-and-crossbones tattoo resembled a Nazi image.
In February 2021, when Cooper was North Carolina governor, his administration and state civil rights groups agreed to a settlement allowing for the early release of some 3,500 inmates to reduce overcrowding and slow the spread of COVID. Republicans have argued that the list included inmates that were sentenced to life in prison, but prison officials said they had been eligible for parole before the settlement, according to a Charlotte Observer fact check published in February. Cooper's campaign said some had even been released before the settlement, the outlet reported.
"Republicans’ attacks are false. Governor Roy Cooper actively opposed releasing these prisoners, fought in court to reduce the number of inmates that North Carolina was court-ordered to release and had no role in determining which prisoners received adjusted sentences," Cooper's campaign told Newsweek in an email. "Republicans have been lying about Roy Cooper’s record on being tough on crime from the beginning and they are not stopping now. Their claims have been rigorously fact checked multiple times as false."
The claims regarding Peltola appear to stem partly from her past opposition to a mining project in Alaska's Bristol Bay.
Newsweek reached out to Platner by email.
The new polling comes as the Democratic Party has overperformed in a series of special elections at the state and federal level.
Last week, two Democrats flipped seats in reliably red Florida. Democrat Emily Gregory won a special election to represent the state’s 87th House district and Democrat Brian Nathan declared victory in a tight race to replace Republican Jay Collins in State Senate District 14, after Collins was tapped by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to serve as his lieutenant governor.
On February 3, Conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss lost out on state Senate District 9 to her Democratic rival Taylor Rehmet, a military veteran and union leader. Rehmet won by more than 14 percentage points, according to The Associated Press.
The GOP also performed poorly in a series of elections on November 4, including in the New York City mayoral election, in which Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani defeated independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
What People Are Saying
Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, wrote on X: "Donald Trump’s own neighbors in Florida just sent a message: They elected a Democrat, Emily Gregory, to serve as their representative in the Florida state House. If Democrats can win in Trump’s backyard, we sure as hell can win anywhere across the country. Onward to November!"
National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Nick Puglia previously told Newsweek: "While liberals like Jon Ossoff and Roy Cooper put criminals and violent illegals above hardworking Americans, President Trump and Senate Republicans are reversing years of Democrat chaos with historic middle-class tax cuts, secure borders, and safer communities. Democrats remain rudderless, unpopular, and out of touch as they drag each other farther to the left in messy primaries across the map."
What Happens Next
The midterms are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 3 this year. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has said Trump will take to the campaign trail to boost the GOP's chances of success.
Update 03/31/26, 1:10 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include an RNC statement as well as a response from Cooper's campaign.
Update 4/1/26: ET: This article was updated with a response from Peltola's campaign.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines