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Interactive: Democrats lead in these key Senate battleground states

Abdul El-Sayed speaks during a news conference at the Spirit of Detroit shortly after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Aug. 5, 2026, in Detroit.
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With 41 days until the midterm elections, a batch of new polls points to potential Democratic gains in several competitive races. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico leads Attorney General Ken Paxton by 6 points, notable in a state where Democrats have not won statewide since 1994. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed holds a 7-point edge over Mike Rogers, while Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan by 4 points in Alaska.

The picture is not entirely rosy for Democrats, however. Despite leading in Iowa by 8 points, the party faces a steep financial gap. FEC filings show Republicans outraised Democrats in July and hold roughly eight times as much cash on hand, with Democrats carrying around $18 million in debt. The party needs to flip four Senate seats to take control of the chamber.