Voters check in on the second day of early voting ahead of the midterm elections, at a polling place at DuPage Event Center and Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Illinois, on Sept. 25, 2026. (Kamil Krzacynski – AFP / Getty Images)
By Jack Davis October 12, 2026 at 7:11am
The drumbeat of doom advanced by pundits who claim the Republican Party is heading for disaster in November may be out of step with what voters actually think, according to a series of new polls.
The looming election will decide whether President Donald Trump has an antagonistic, Democrat-dominated Congress for the final two years of his term, an extension of the current scenario in which the Republicans have a razor-thin margin in the House and a small Senate majority, or a divided Congress with each party in control of one chamber.
Because historical voting patterns indicate the party that holds the White House typically loses ground in the midterm elections, Democrats have been salivating over taking control.
But a group of polls from Interactive Polls indicates that dreams and reality may not align.
Senate Polling — Co/Efficient (R)
🔴 Kansas – Marshall +5
🔴 Nebraska – Ricketts +5
🔴 Iowa – Hinson +4
🔴 Alaska – Sullivan +2
🔴 Maine – Collins +2
🔴 Ohio – Husted +1
🟡 New Hampshire – Tied
🟡 Michigan – Tied
🔵 Minnesota – Flanagan +1— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) October 8, 2026
Just the News reported on the numbers, which include more than just traditional polling and were also shorn of details such as the sample size or margin of error, which can often function as barometers of how accurate the poll is.
In Kansas, Republican Sen. Roger Marshall had a five-point lead over Democrat Adam Hamilton.
Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska has a five-point lead over Dan Osborn, running as an independent.
Which party do you think will maintain control of the Senate after the midterms?
Incumbent Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan leads by two points in a four-way race against Democrat Mary Peltola and two other challengers.
In Iowa, Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican, has a four-point lead in a race for an open seat. She is running against Democrat Josh Turek.
Interactive Polls gave Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine a two-point lead over Democrat Troy Jackson.
📷 MAJOR SENATE UPDATE 📷
New polling just dropped, and it’s a massive wake-up call! Republicans are either leading or locked in dead heats in NINE key Senate races across the country. 📷 📷
The momentum is shifting, and every single vote is going to count in these razor-thin battlegrounds. The fight for control of the Senate is officially on a knife-edge!
📷 Which race are you watching closest? Let’s hear it in the comments!
#Politics #Elections #Polling #Senate #Government #USNews
— Diamond and Silk® (@DiamondandSilk) October 11, 2026
Republican Sen. Jon Husted has a one-point lead over Democrat and former Sen. Sherrod Brown.
Other polls tracking the Maine and Ohio contests show the Republican candidates trailing.
Interactive Polls gave Democrat Peggy Flanagan a one-point lead in the race for U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Michele Tafoya is the Republican candidate for the open seat.
The Michigan race between Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is a tie, Interactive Polls said.
Likewise, the New Hampshire contest between Republican John Sununu and Democrat Chris Pappas was rated as a tie with three weeks to go before Election Day.
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Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com.
Location
New York City
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Foreign Policy, Military & Defense Issues
