All 435 House seats and a third of the Senate are on Tuesday's ballot

Voters go to the polls Tuesday to fill all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about a third of the Senate, according to CBS News ¹. The Guardian reports 35 Senate seats are on the ballot, including two special elections in Florida and Ohio, and that voters will also choose governors in 36 states and three territories ².

Republicans hold a narrow House majority. The Guardian reports Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the House ². In the Senate, Republicans hold 53 seats against 47 held by Democrats and independents who caucus with them, and Democrats need to gain four seats for a majority ². CBS News reports its latest House model puts Democrats on pace to win 229 seats, enough for the majority ¹.

New Yorker politics columnist Susan Glasser told CBS News the election is a verdict on the president. "These are historically viewed as referenda on the job performance of a president," she said ¹. She added: "The president is the most unpopular American president in the history of modern polling going into a midterm election" ¹.

Glasser said the cost of everyday life is the main driver. "People are so angry," she said, pointing to gas at the pump and grocery bills ¹. CBS News pollster Anthony Salvanto said the numbers are moving toward the Democrats and that it is not historically unusual for a president's party to lose seats in a midterm ¹.

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Salvanto said two-thirds of people tell CBS News they are voting for Congress either to support the president, 26%, or, in more cases, to oppose his policies, 41% ¹. He said the forces driving voters are "all of the above" when asked about the war, corruption and gas prices ¹.

The Guardian reports the president's party has lost House seats in 18 of the past 20 midterm elections, a rate of loss stretching back to 1946 ². It also reports that political polarization and years of redistricting have reduced the number of genuinely competitive House districts, and that Reuters estimated only about 40 to 50 House races are truly competitive ².

What a Democratic win would change

Glasser told CBS News that if Democrats win both chambers, "I think you would see efforts to restrain the Defense Department from spending more money, for example on Trump's war with Iran" ¹. She also said: "I think you might see very aggressive oversight and investigation hearings. I think you'll see them issue subpoenas" ¹.

The Guardian reports a Democratic majority in either chamber would significantly constrain the president's domestic agenda ². It reports a Democratic House could launch investigations, demand documents and testimony, and subject senior officials to sustained congressional scrutiny, and that Democrats might come under pressure from their base to impeach Trump ². It reports a Democratic Senate could block or delay many of Trump's appointments, including cabinet officials, ambassadors and federal judges ².

Glasser raised concerns about what happens after the votes are counted. "Donald Trump said that he won't accept the results of any election that he personally does not think were conducted the way he wanted them to be," she said ¹. She said one thing Trump and his allies might try is "to delay or block certification of incoming members of the Senate in close races" ¹.

CBS News reports the Trump administration has already ordered a criminal investigation into Alaska's Senate race, where Democrats are alleged to have recruited a candidate with the same name as the Republican opponent ¹. The Guardian reports the Justice Department has sued states for access to unredacted voter rolls to cross-check them against a federal immigration database, and that a federal judge ruled the department's policy unlawful ². It also reports the NAACP has sued over planned federal election monitors at polling places, arguing their presence could intimidate voters ².

The Guardian reports the cost of living regularly tops opinion polls, with Democrats campaigning on affordability for food, housing, fuel and health care, and that the war in Iran has added a complication for Republicans ². It reports immigration remains a defining issue, with polls suggesting many voters feel Immigration and Customs Enforcement's hardline approach has gone too far ².

Glasser said the stakes go beyond one night, calling it absolutely a crucial midterm and saying the system was built to balance, constrain and check among the different branches of government ¹.

These are historically viewed as referenda on the job performance of a president.

The Record

1. Oct 26, 2026The Guardian reports Democrats need a net gain of four House seats and, separately, four Senate seats to take control of each chamber ².
2. Nov 1, 2026CBS News reports its latest House model puts Democrats on pace to win 229 seats, enough for the majority ¹.
3. Nov 1, 2026CBS News reports the Trump administration has ordered a criminal investigation into Alaska's Senate race over an alleged Democratic-recruited candidate with the same name as the Republican opponent ¹.

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<h2>All 435 House seats and a third of the Senate are on Tuesday&#39;s ballot</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Campaign Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/all-435-house-seats-and-a-third-of-the-senate-are-on-tuesday-s-ballot">The GOP Files</a> on Sunday, November 1, 2026.</em></p> <p>Voters go to the polls Tuesday to fill all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about a third of the Senate, according to CBS News . The Guardian reports 35 Senate seats are on the ballot, including two special elections in Florida and Ohio, and that voters will also choose governors in 36 states and three territories .</p> <p>Republicans hold a narrow House majority. The Guardian reports Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the House . In the Senate, Republicans hold 53 seats against 47 held by Democrats and independents who caucus with them, and Democrats need to gain four seats for a majority . CBS News reports its latest House model puts Democrats on pace to win 229 seats, enough for the majority .</p> <p>New Yorker politics columnist Susan Glasser told CBS News the election is a verdict on the president. &quot;These are historically viewed as referenda on the job performance of a president,&quot; she said . She added: &quot;The president is the most unpopular American president in the history of modern polling going into a midterm election&quot; .</p> <p>Glasser said the cost of everyday life is the main driver. &quot;People are so angry,&quot; she said, pointing to gas at the pump and grocery bills . CBS News pollster Anthony Salvanto said the numbers are moving toward the Democrats and that it is not historically unusual for a president&#39;s party to lose seats in a midterm .</p> <p>Salvanto said two-thirds of people tell CBS News they are voting for Congress either to support the president, 26%, or, in more cases, to oppose his policies, 41% . He said the forces driving voters are &quot;all of the above&quot; when asked about the war, corruption and gas prices .</p> <p>The Guardian reports the president&#39;s party has lost House seats in 18 of the past 20 midterm elections, a rate of loss stretching back to 1946 . It also reports that political polarization and years of redistricting have reduced the number of genuinely competitive House districts, and that Reuters estimated only about 40 to 50 House races are truly competitive .</p> <h2>What a Democratic win would change</h2> <p>Glasser told CBS News that if Democrats win both chambers, &quot;I think you would see efforts to restrain the Defense Department from spending more money, for example on Trump&#39;s war with Iran&quot; . She also said: &quot;I think you might see very aggressive oversight and investigation hearings. I think you&#39;ll see them issue subpoenas&quot; .</p> <p>The Guardian reports a Democratic majority in either chamber would significantly constrain the president&#39;s domestic agenda . It reports a Democratic House could launch investigations, demand documents and testimony, and subject senior officials to sustained congressional scrutiny, and that Democrats might come under pressure from their base to impeach Trump . It reports a Democratic Senate could block or delay many of Trump&#39;s appointments, including cabinet officials, ambassadors and federal judges .</p> <p>Glasser raised concerns about what happens after the votes are counted. &quot;Donald Trump said that he won&#39;t accept the results of any election that he personally does not think were conducted the way he wanted them to be,&quot; she said . She said one thing Trump and his allies might try is &quot;to delay or block certification of incoming members of the Senate in close races&quot; .</p> <p>CBS News reports the Trump administration has already ordered a criminal investigation into Alaska&#39;s Senate race, where Democrats are alleged to have recruited a candidate with the same name as the Republican opponent . The Guardian reports the Justice Department has sued states for access to unredacted voter rolls to cross-check them against a federal immigration database, and that a federal judge ruled the department&#39;s policy unlawful . It also reports the NAACP has sued over planned federal election monitors at polling places, arguing their presence could intimidate voters .</p> <p>The Guardian reports the cost of living regularly tops opinion polls, with Democrats campaigning on affordability for food, housing, fuel and health care, and that the war in Iran has added a complication for Republicans . It reports immigration remains a defining issue, with polls suggesting many voters feel Immigration and Customs Enforcement&#39;s hardline approach has gone too far .</p> <p>Glasser said the stakes go beyond one night, calling it absolutely a crucial midterm and saying the system was built to balance, constrain and check among the different branches of government .</p> <blockquote><p>These are historically viewed as referenda on the job performance of a president.</p><p>&mdash; Susan Glasser, politics columnist, The New Yorker</p></blockquote> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/all-435-house-seats-and-a-third-of-the-senate-are-on-tuesday-s-ballot">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/all-435-house-seats-and-a-third-of-the-senate-are-on-tuesday-s-ballot.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. CBS News, “Midterm elections preview: How might this year's vote change Washington?” (2026-11-01). cbsnews.com/news/midterm-elections-preview-how-might-this-ye
2. The Guardian, “What are the races to watch in the US midterm elections and why do they matter?” (2026-11-01). theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/26/what-are-midterm-electio

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