Less than 100 days into Donald Trump’s presidency, Democrats are already expressing confidence that they will have big wins in the 2026 midterms. But if Democrats are going to retake the Senate, they need to flip four seats — and there are two states that Democrats considered competitive last year that already look like uphill climbs: Florida and Texas.
Last year’s Senate map was a lousy one for Democrats. They were playing defense in half a dozen states and there were virtually no pickup opportunities other than Florida and Texas, where they challenged incumbent GOP Sens. Rick Scott and Ted Cruz.
Democrats spent millions between the two states. And toward the end of the cycle, there were questions of whether they’d consolidate efforts in one state or the other. They did not.