US midterms 2026: These Senate and House races are still too close to call. Here's where they stand

The 2026 midterm elections brought a dramatic shift in the makeup of Congress, with Democrats decisively winning control of the Senate and gaining dozens of seats in the House. The results are shaping up to be among the biggest midterm defeats for Republicans in recent decades. However, the final balance of power in Congress remains uncertain, as two Senate races and more than two dozen House contests have yet to be projected.

These include closely contested Republican-held districts, several Democratic seats vulnerable to Republican challenges, and multiple races in California and other Western states where ballot counting is still underway. Here's a breakdown of the congressional races CBS News has yet to project and the latest status of each contest.

Senate toss-ups

Democrats are expected to begin next year with at least 54 Senate seats, compared with 44 for Republicans. Two Senate races remain uncalled. One has long been considered competitive, while the other emerged as an unexpected battleground.

Alaska Senate

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is seeking reelection against Democrat Mary Peltola in a closely contested race that was shaken by a last-minute scandal involving another Dan Sullivan's appearance on the ballot. The vote count could take longer because of outstanding ballots and Alaska's ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates according to preference. If no candidate receives more than half of the first-choice votes, the candidate in last place is eliminated, and counting proceeds to a second round. Final results are not expected until 15 days after Election Day. Both the Sullivan and Peltola campaigns have maintained that they are in a strong position to win.

Mississippi Senate

The contest between Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Scott Colom was not widely expected to be competitive, but it remains undecided. State officials have said thousands of mail ballots are still outstanding and can legally arrive within five days of the election. An unknown number of "affidavit" ballots also remain, involving voters whose eligibility must be verified. Both Colom and Hyde-Smith have predicted that they will win the race.

Democrats on defense

Democrats' gains in dozens of Republican-leaning districts were among the biggest developments of Tuesday night. However, some Republican candidates are still attempting to overcome the broader political trend, helped by redistricting changes or favourable local political conditions.

Maine's 2nd District

The Republican-leaning district, which supported President Trump, is among the GOP's biggest opportunities to flip a House seat. The decision by moderate Democratic Rep. Jared Golden not to seek reelection paved the way for a contest between former Republican Gov. Paul LePage and Democrat Matt Dunlap. Although Dunlap conceded, Maine officials have confirmed that the race will proceed to ranked-choice tabulation because LePage fell just short of the 50% threshold. The tabulation is scheduled to begin on November 9.

Florida's 9th District

The district was among four Florida congressional seats that Republicans shifted to the right through a redistricting campaign ahead of the midterms. It is also the only one that has not yet been projected as a Democratic victory. Democratic Rep. Darren Soto is attempting to hold off Republican challenger Dan Green.

Louisiana's 6th District

The district, previously considered Democratic-leaning and majority-Black, was redrawn after the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's congressional maps, ruling that mapmakers had relied too heavily on race and narrowing the Voting Rights Act. The newly drawn district is considerably more Republican-leaning. However, no candidate is close to securing a majority under Louisiana's "jungle" primary system, meaning the contest could proceed to a runoff next month.

Also Read: Israel President Isaac Herzog tasks Gadi Eisenkot with forming coalition government. What's next?

GOP-Held Battlegrounds

Several Republican-held House districts remain without projections, including multiple contests that Democrats are hoping to flip.

Colorado's 4th District

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert is facing Democrat Eileen Laubacher. Boebert moved to the district two years ago after narrowly winning reelection in a more competitive district in 2022.

Florida's 7th District

Republican Ryan Elijah is competing against Democrat Bale Dalton after Elijah defeated scandal-hit GOP Rep. Cory Mills in the Republican primary. The district has historically favoured Republicans.

Florida's 26th District

Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is attempting to defend his South Florida seat against Democratic challenger Nicole Locklin.

Florida's 27th District

The race features two former Miami-area news anchors: Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar and Democrat Eliott Rodriguez. Salazar attracted attention earlier this year when she warned that President Trump's immigration policies could alienate Latino voters.

Minnesota's 1st District

Republican Rep. Brad Finstad is facing a close challenge from Democrat Jake Johnson, despite winning the district by 17.2 points in 2024. Under state law, candidates trailing by less than 0.25 points can request a recount.

Tennessee's 4th District

Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais is defending his seat against Democrat Victoria Broderick. Although the district remains Republican-leaning, redistricting has made it somewhat less favorable to the GOP.

North Carolina's 3rd District

Republican Rep. Greg Murphy is running against Democrat Raymond Smith. The district became slightly more Democratic-leaning following last year's redistricting, although Republicans continue to hold an advantage.

North Carolina's 5th District

Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx is facing Democrat Chuck Hubbard. First elected more than 20 years ago, Foxx is the longest-serving member of North Carolina's congressional delegation. The state's political landscape was significantly reshaped in the midterms, with Democrats flipping several House seats and a Senate seat.

North Carolina's 7th District

Republican Rep. David Rouzer is seeking reelection against Democrat Kimberly Hardy.

North Carolina's 10th District

Republican Rep. Pat Harrigan is facing Democratic challenger Ashley Bell.

South Carolina's 2nd District

Longtime Republican Rep. Joe Wilson is competing against Democrat Zyon Khalifa.

Arizona's 2nd District

In a rematch of the 2024 contest, Republican Rep. Eli Crane is facing Democrat Jonathan Nez.

Alaska's At-Large District

Republican Rep. Nick Begich is running against independent candidate Bill Hill, who has received Democratic endorsement, along with several other candidates. Alaska's ranked-choice voting system means additional rounds of tabulation may be required before the final winner is determined.

California's 4th District

In the Napa Valley area, longtime Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson is facing businessman and fellow Democrat Eric Jones.

California's 7th District

The district underwent significant changes during redistricting. Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui is competing against another Democrat, Mai Vang.

California's 23rd District

Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte is defending his seat against Democrat Tessa Hodge.

California's 40th District

California's redistricting campaign last year significantly reshaped congressional districts across Southern California.

In the newly drawn district covering parts of Orange County and the Inland Empire, incumbent Republican Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim are competing against each other for the seat.

Washington's 4th District

Republican Amanda McKinney and Democrat John Duresky are competing for the seat held by retiring Rep. Dan Newhouse. Newhouse was among the few remaining Republicans who voted to impeach Mr. Trump following the January 6, 2021, riot.

Washington's 5th District

In Eastern Washington, Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner is facing Democrat Carmela Conroy.

Louisiana's 5th District

Democrat Patricia Moore and Republican Gabe Firment are heading to a December runoff in the deeply conservative district. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Julia Letlow, who was elected to the Senate this week.