Polls show tight US midterm races
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The gist
New CNN polls show Senate races in Maine and Michigan neck and neck with no clear.
With two months to Election Day, a handful of tight races will decide control.
Background
The 2026 US midterm campaign is entering its final stretch, with roughly two months until November's elections. Polls show tight races at the top of the ticket in several states, including open Senate seats in Michigan and Maine. President Trump's approval ratings have sunk to record lows, and voters have cited affordability, tariffs, gas prices, immigration and the war in Iran as top concerns. Democrats have seen improved margins across demographic groups since Trump returned to office, while Republicans are gathering in Dallas for a national convention aimed at rallying support.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026The Republican National Committee releases a statement outlining the goals of its upcoming Dallas convention, framing Republicans as representing mainstream values.
- Sep 7, 2026Reuters reports that Trump's unpopularity is imperiling Republican chances of holding their narrow congressional majorities as the campaign sprint begins.
- Sep 8, 2026An exclusive WDIV-Detroit News poll shows a very tight race for Michigan's open US Senate seat, with 56 days until Election Day.
- Sep 9, 2026CNN polls conducted by SSRS find the Senate contests in Maine and Michigan neck and neck with no clear leader.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- CNN polling shows the Maine and Michigan Senate races have no clear leader, though voters in the two states view their choices through very different lenses.
- Party
- The RNC says its convention will show Republicans represent mainstream, practical values while the Democratic Party has embraced a fringe, extremely liberal agenda.
- Caution
- The New York Times notes that Trump's poor poll numbers could make the convention a liability, but candidates drift from him at their own political risk.
- Public
- A Texas voter quoted in the Star-Telegram said Trump promised to make things more affordable and end foreign wars but did the opposite, calling him a president for the billionaire class.
Still unverified
The WDIV-Detroit News poll's specific numbers and candidate names were not available in the retrieved material. The NBC News report on lackluster midterm enthusiasm and the White House's view that it is in striking distance in key races is attributed to a single unnamed report.