Senate News & Analysis

2026 Senate Overview (July 24, 2026): North Carolina - Wyoming

July 24, 2025 · 2:27 PM EDT

North Carolina. Open; Thom Tillis (R) not seeking re-election. Filing deadline Dec. 19. Primary March 3. Runoff (if necessary) May 12. Gov. Roy Cooper will reportedly jump into the Senate race after months of speculation, giving Democrats a top-tier recruit in a must win state. Former Rep. Wiley Nickel is…

Podcast Episode 51: All Things Iowa w/ Brianne Pfannenstiel of The Des Moines Register

July 15, 2025 · 2:14 PM EDT

Inside Elections' Jacob Rubashkin and Brianne Pfannenstiel of The Des Moines Register break down the key Iowa races including Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s fight for re-election, the race for the open governorship left behind by Republican Kim Reynolds and multiple competitive House races where Republican incumbents Zach Nunn, Ashley Hinson…

Report Shorts (July 10, 2025)

by Jacob Rubashkin July 10, 2025 · 2:28 PM EDT

Alaska Senate. In an interview on GD Politics with Galen Druke, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said she’s open to becoming an independent and caucusing with Democrats. Murkowski is not up for re-election (her Republican colleague Dan Sullivan is) but this scenario would reduce the number of seats Democrats need to…

Podcast Episode 50: A Legacy of Nonpartisan Political Analysis w/ Stuart Rothenberg

July 3, 2025 · 1:36 AM EDT

Nathan Gonzales and Jacob Rubashkin chat with one of the godfathers or nonpartisan political handicapping, Stuart Rothenberg. Stu is a Roll Call columnist, former CNN contributor, acclaimed speaker and founder of The Rothenberg Political Report, which is the predecessor to and foundation for Inside Elections. Without Stu, Inside Elections and…

North Carolina Senate: Tillis Decision Creates Open Seat

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 29, 2025 · 3:13 PM EDT

In the face of opposition from President Donald Trump, GOP Sen. Thom Tillis announced he will not seek re-election in 2026. The senator’s decision doesn’t change the overall Senate battleground, but it makes the seat more vulnerable to a Democratic takeover without an incumbent. 

After Tillis declined to support  the…

Podcast Episode 49: Congressional Women’s Softball Game Preview w/ Bridget Bowman of NBC News

June 25, 2025 · 2:02 PM EDT

Nathan Gonzales and Jacob Rubashkin preview the annual women’s congressional softball game for charity with co-organizer Atalie Ebersole of the Pet Food Institute and Bridget Bowman of NBC News. It’s a wide-ranging episode that also includes Trump’s Latino support, Bruce Springsteen, Orlando Bloom, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Sza and an…

Illinois Senate: Race of Three, Who Will It Be?

by Jacob Rubashkin June 20, 2025 · 2:30 PM EDT

While most of the focus is on a half-dozen races that will decide the Senate majority, a handful of other states are just as important because primaries will elect a future lawmaker who may end up being in office for a couple of decades.

Democratic Minority Whip Dick Durbin’s decision…

Alabama Senate: Put Me in Coach

by Jacob Rubashkin June 20, 2025 · 2:29 PM EDT

Sen. Tommy Tuberville may have nothing but open field ahead of him in the 2026 Alabama governor’s race, but his decision not to seek a second term in Washington, DC has Yellowhammer Republicans looking to elevate a new starter from an uncertain bench. 

The former Auburn head football coach finally…

Podcast Episode 48: Congressional Baseball Game Preview w/ Nathaniel Rakich

June 10, 2025 · 8:27 AM EDT

Nathan Gonzales, Jacob Rubashkin, and Nathaniel Rakich preview the upcoming annual congressional baseball game for charity between Republicans and Democrats and analyze the key Senate race in Iowa that could impact which party controls the Senate in 2026 and could give Democrats a star pitcher in upcoming baseball games. In…

Senate & Governor Report Shorts (June 5, 2025)

June 5, 2025 · 2:26 PM EDT

Alabama Governor & Senate. Sen. Tommy Tuberville made official his intention to run for governor rather than seek a second term in Washington, DC. That shook up Yellowhammer State politics, and the dust is still settling. State Attorney General Steve Marshall, Navy SEAL veteran Jared Hudson, and Birmingham investor Jeremy…