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Midterms 2026 · Report · File No. 261111-788

Sen. Jim Justice says Republicans can 'forget' retaking the Senate in 2028

A West Virginia Republican calls the midterm losses a 'colossal blow' as Democrats near 56 Senate seats. The map for 2028 now leans toward Democrats, too.

By the Campaign Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
Jim Justice
Jim Justice. Photo: United States Senate, Public domain

Sen. Jim Justice, a Republican from West Virginia, says his party can "forget" about winning back the Senate majority in 2028. He made the remark about a week after Republican losses in deep-red territory 1.

Jim Justice
You can forget 2028. Absolutely,
Jim Justice, U.S. senator, R-W.Va.1

Justice made the comments to the Washington Examiner, according to The Hill 1. The Examiner reported separately on Nov. 10 that Senate Republicans face a "grim reality" and are "likely to be out of power until at least the 2030 elections" 2.

How big the Democratic gains are

Democrats flipped seven Senate seats. They won in North Carolina, Maine, Texas, Ohio, South Carolina, Iowa and Kansas 1.

They lead in two races that are still undecided, Alaska and Mississippi. If they win both, they would hold 56 Senate seats, the most either party has won in an election since 2008 1. The Examiner says Republicans are dealing with the loss of "at least seven seats" 2.

From Channel GOPWarnock says he will run for high office in 2028Raphael Warnock · 120 plays · captioned, with the source named

The 2028 map

Even if Democrats lose both Alaska and Mississippi, The Hill reports Republicans would need to flip five seats in 2028 to take the Senate back. They would need four if they also hold the presidency 1.

The most likely targets are Georgia (Sen. Raphael Warnock), Arizona (Sen. Mark Kelly), Pennsylvania (Sen. John Fetterman) and Nevada (Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto). All four are Democrats 1. If Republicans lose the presidency, it is not clear where they could find enough seats, according to The Hill 1.

Democrats may have their own opening. The Hill says they could have a path to 60 seats, enough to overcome a filibuster. A filibuster is a delaying tactic that requires 60 votes to end. No party has reached that number since 2010 1.

The clearest Democratic targets are Wisconsin, where Sen. Ron Johnson is a Republican, and North Carolina, where Sen. Ted Budd is a Republican. Democrats also won in Kansas, Iowa and South Carolina this year, and all three have seats up in 2028 1.

What Democrats say next

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York ran the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the party's Senate campaign arm, this cycle. She has said she will volunteer to lead it again 1.

Kirsten Gillibrand
I think there’s more states we can put in play,
Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. senator, D-N.Y.1

That matters because a bigger majority is easier to govern with. It also makes a Democratic Senate after 2028 more likely, The Hill reports 1.

Some caution is in order. Two Senate races are still uncalled, and Justice's comment is one senator's view, not a forecast from his party's leaders 1. Presidential-year politics can also shift quickly. Even so, a Republican senator is now saying out loud what the 2028 math suggests.

The Record

  1. Midterm election day: Democrats flipped seven Senate seats and led in Alaska and Mississippi 1.
  2. The Washington Examiner reported Senate Republicans are likely to be out of power until at least the 2030 elections 2.
  3. Sen. Jim Justice told the Washington Examiner Republicans can 'forget' 2028, per The Hill 1.
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Sources

  1. The Hill, “Jim Justice says GOP can 'forget' retaking Senate majority in 2028” (2026-11-11). thehill.com/homenews/senate/6213842-justice-gop-senate-major
  2. Washington Examiner, “'Forget 2028': Senate GOP braces for a long stretch in the minority” (2026-11-10). washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/4799492/forget-2028-senat

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