Control of Congress is on the line Tuesday as voters decide pivotal Senate and House races across the country, while closely watched governor contests will shape the political landscape in key states during the second term of President Donald Trump. Republicans are working to defend their congressional majorities, while Democrats are seeking gains in battlegrounds from Texas and Georgia to Michigan and Maine. Open seats, vulnerable incumbents and competitive statewide races have placed nine states at the center of the fight for power in Washington and in state capitals.
Texas hosts two major statewide contests. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is battling Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the Senate seat held by outgoing Republican John Cornyn, while Republican Gov. Greg Abbott seeks a historic fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. The Senate race is unusually competitive in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988. It pits Paxton's conservative appeal and history of legal controversies against Talarico's campaign focused on political change. Abbott's bid offers another test of Republican dominance, with border security, education and the economy shaping the debate over the state's future.
Ohio features a Senate rematch of sorts, with former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown seeking a return to Washington against Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill Vice President JD Vance's former seat. Brown is attempting a comeback in a state that has shifted toward Republicans, while Husted is seeking his first electoral victory for the Senate. Husted's campaign also enlisted former NFL coach Jon "Chucky" Gruden for campaign appearances. In the governor's race, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces Democrat Amy Acton to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Ramaswamy's campaign recently pulled a controversial ad featuring Acton's estranged mother after criticism from fellow Republicans, including DeWine.
Michigan's open Senate seat could prove pivotal to the balance of power in Washington. Former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers faces Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the contest to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The race has grown increasingly contentious as Rogers and Republican allies have raised allegations about El-Sayed's family's purported ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, citing old social media posts by his half-sister. El-Sayed has denied any connection to the organization and publicly disavowed it, while independent fact-checkers have found no evidence establishing his personal affiliation. The state also features a gubernatorial showdown between Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Rep. John James, testing whether Michigan voters will keep the governor's office in Democratic hands.
Wisconsin's open governor's race pits Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany against Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as voters choose a successor to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The contest centers on the state's political direction, including taxes, public spending and education, after Crowley defeated progressive state Rep. Francesca Hong in a crowded Democratic primary.
Georgia offers two major statewide contests. Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is defending his seat against Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a state Trump narrowly carried in 2024. Ossoff's race will test whether Democrats can hold a Senate seat in a state that has delivered closely contested presidential and Senate elections. The open governor's race between Republican businessman Rick Jackson and former Democratic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will determine who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
Iowa voters will decide whether Republicans can retain two major offices in a state Trump carried comfortably in 2024. Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson faces Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Joni Ernst, while Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand faces Republican Zach Lahn in the open governor's race to succeed retiring Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. Although the state has shifted toward Republicans in recent cycles, Democrats previously enjoyed sustained statewide success through figures including former Sen. Tom Harkin and former Gov. Tom Vilsack. Affordability, agriculture and state economic policy are among the central issues.
Nevada's marquee contest features Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo seeking another term against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff, defeated incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022. Housing affordability, education and public safety are among the issues facing voters.
Maine's Senate race pits longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins against former Democratic state Senate President Troy Jackson in one of the country's most closely watched contests. With races stretching across multiple time zones, polls will close at different hours across the nine states, and results are expected to unfold through the evening as returns come in.