Latest Elections 2026 News | FOX 32 Chicago

2026 midterm elections: 21 key House races to follow

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:38:29 -0500

Control of the U.S. House will be on the line in November, with Republicans defending their narrow majority and Democrats looking to take back the chamber.

All 435 House seats are up for election, but the balance of power could hinge on a relatively small number of competitive races. The president’s party has historically lost House seats in midterm elections, though Republican-led efforts to redraw congressional maps in several states could reshape the political landscape this year.

Here are some of the key House races to watch:

Arizona

Arizona’s 6th District:

Arizona’s 6th district is one of the most evenly divided districts in the country, according to the Cook Political Report. Donald Trump won it by less than a point in 2024 and lost it by less than a point in 2020.

Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani is seeking a third term against Democratic challenger and U.S. Marine veteran JoAnna Mendoza. The district stretches from the Tucson suburbs to the U.S.-Mexico border, and Democrats view it as a potential pickup opportunity as they try to regain control of the House.

If elected, Mendoza would be the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent Arizona's sixth district, according to VictoryFund.org.

California

California’s 22nd District

Progressive Randy Villegas, a political science professor and school board member, advanced to the November election against Republican David Valadao.

Democrats narrowly beat Valadao in their 2018 wave, only to see him win back the seat in 2020.

California lawmakers approved a new congressional map under the state’s 2025 redistricting process.

Colorado

Colorado’s 8th District

Colorado’s 8th congressional district is considered one of the most competitive House races in the country heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

Republican Rep. Gabe Evans, who narrowly flipped the seat in 2024, is seeking reelection against Democrat Manny Rutinel, a state representative and former McDonald’s fry cook. Democrats view the contest as a key opportunity to regain the seat and chip away at the Republican majority in the House.

The district stretches from Denver’s northern suburbs to Greeley and includes Colorado’s largest Hispanic population, according to Census.gov. This makes affordability, health care, immigration and the economy central issues in the race.

Florida

Florida’s 14th District

Florida’s 14th district now favors Republicans – Trump won it by about 10 points in 2024 and three points in 2020 – but is still quite winnable for Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor, according to the Cook Political Report.

Castor will face her toughest reelection fight yet as she seeks an 11th term in Congress. She’s running against former Florida state Rep. Mike Beltran after Florida Republicans redrew her once-safe blue Tampa-area district to be much more GOP-leaning.

Florida’s 22nd District

Florida’s 22nd congressional district is one of the most competitive House races in the 2026 midterm elections. The open-seat contest features Democrat Pia Dandiya, an educator and former school principal, against Republican Casey Askar, a Marine veteran and restaurant franchisee.

The district was significantly redrawn under Florida’s new congressional map and spans parts of Palm Beach, Broward, Hendry and Collier counties.

Although President Donald Trump won the district by 11 points in 2024, the Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.

Iowa

Iowa’s 1st District

Christina Bohannon, a former Democratic state representative, is challenging Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for the third time in Iowa’s 1st district, a tossup seat covering the southeastern part of the state.

According to the Cook Political Report, Miller-Meeks won her 2026 primary by a larger margin compared to 2024. But she has a tough race in November against Bohannan.

Michigan

Michigan's 4th District

Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga won reelection by 12 percentage points in 2024, while Donald Trump carried the district by six points. The district includes the traditionally conservative region around Grand Rapids, but Democrats see opportunities as voting patterns shift in parts of western Michigan.

Ottawa County was among the Michigan counties where Kamala Harris improved on Joe Biden’s 2020 margin. The district could offer Democrats an opportunity to make gains in a state that remains central to the battle for control of the House.

Michigan’s 7th District

Michigan’s 7th Congressional District is shaping up to be a key 2026 House battleground.

Will Lawrence, a progressive Democratic candidate, won the primary and will take on Republican Tom Barrett, who narrowly won and flipped the district in 2024.

Michigan’s 7th district is centered around Lansing.

Michigan’s 10th District

Democrat Christina Hines and Republican Michael Bouchard are facing off in Michigan’s 10th district, a swing district in the Detroit suburbs. Hines, a prosecutor, and Bouchard, a military veteran and son of longtime Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, are vying to succeed current Rep. John James, the Republican nominee for governor.

According to the Cook Political report, the 10th district has trended toward Republicans over the past decade. From 2016–2020, Republicans won by substantial margins under the district boundaries used at the time. However, in 2022, Republican John James won by just 0.5 percentage points over Democrat Carl Marlinga.

Montana

Montana's 1st District

Montana’s 1st Congressional District has three main candidates running for the U.S. House in the November 3, 2026, general election. The seat is open because Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke is retiring.

Aaron Flint is the Republican candidate, while Sam Forstag is trying to flip the seat for Democrats. Nick Sheedy is the Libertarian nominee.

New York

New York’s 17th District

GOP Rep. Mike Lawler is in a competitive reelection fight against Democrat Cait Conley, an Army veteran who later worked as a White House national security official. Lawler won the 17th district by 6.3 percentage points in 2024.

Kamala Harris narrowly carried this Hudson Valley-based district by less than one percentage point against Donald Trump.

North Carolina

North Carolina's 1st District

North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District is one of the closely watched U.S. House races.

The contest is a rematch between Democratic incumbent Don Davis and Republican Laurie Buckhout, with Libertarian Tom Bailey also on the ballot.

The district was redrawn, and the 2026 boundaries are considerably more Republican-leaning than those used in 2024.

North Carolina’s 11th District

Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards dropped his reelection bid in August amid accusations of inappropriate behavior with women staffers that he denies.

Republican state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom was picked by her party to face Democrat Jamie Ager.

Ohio

Ohio’s 7th District

Republican Rep. Max Miller is seeking reelection while facing allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife. Miller denies wrongdoing.

The allegations have become an issue in the race against Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker and city council member.

Ohio’s 9th District

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur has been in the U.S. House since 1983, making her the longest-serving woman member of Congress.

She’s in a rematch against former state Rep. Derek Merrin, whom she defeated by less than a percentage point or 2,382 votes in 2024, in a district that has been redrawn to be slightly more favorable to Republicans.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s 8th District

Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan is seeking reelection after narrowly flipping the northeastern Pennsylvania district in 2024, while Democratic nominee Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton, is challenging him.

According to the Cook Political Report, Bresnahan's stock trades have become a campaign issue, giving Democrats a line of attack in a district Cook rates as a toss-up.

Pennsylvania’s 10th District

The state’s most expensive House race as of July, according to public-media outlet WITF, is between Republican Rep. Scott Perry, a former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and former TV anchor Janelle Stelson. It’s a rematch from 2024, when Perry beat Stelson by just over a percentage point.

Independent candidate Isabelle Harman is also on the ballot. Democrats view the race as a prime pickup opportunity, while Perry’s conservative record and close ties to President Donald Trump are likely to shape the contest.

Texas

Texas’ 15th District

Republican Rep. Monica de la Cruz flipped the district red in 2022, running on border security. This year, she’s facing a tougher-than-expected challenge from Tejano singer Bobby Pulido.

The district was redrawn in 2025 and remains Republican-leaning, but Democrats see an opportunity to win back Latino voters amid concerns about the economy and immigration enforcement.

Texas’ 34th District

Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez is seeking a sixth term against Republican Eric Flores, a former federal prosecutor and Army National Guard captain who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

The newly redrawn district includes parts of the Rio Grande Valley and Gulf Coast and voted for Trump by about 10 percentage points in 2024, giving Republicans an opening in a historically Democratic region. Still, Gonzalez’s long-standing ties to the area have made the race a toss-up.

Green Party candidate Eddie Espinoza and Libertarian candidate Chris Royal are also listed in the race.

Virginia

Virginia's 1st District

Virginia’s 1st Congressional District has a closely watched 2026 midterm race between Republican incumbent Rob Wittman and Democratic challenger Shannon Taylor.

Democrats are trying to flip the seat as part of their effort to win control of the U.S. House. A Washington Post poll published on October 1 found Taylor narrowly ahead.

Virginia’s 2nd District

Former Rep. Elaine Luria, a Democrat, is trying to win back the seat that Republican Jen Kiggans captured in 2022.

Both are Navy veterans touting their past service in the coastal Virginia district, where a military background is a bonus.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s 3rd District

Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden is seeking a third term against Democrat Rebecca Cooke in a rematch of their narrow 2024 contest.

The western Wisconsin district has shifted between parties in recent elections, and Van Orden’s close ties to President Donald Trump could energize Republicans while creating an opening for Cooke in a year when Democrats are targeting competitive GOP-held seats.

Former Illinois GOP leader bucks party to endorse Pritzker

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:49:43 -0500

A former leader of Illinois Republicans is crossing party lines in the race for governor.

Jim Durkin is endorsing Democrat JB Pritzker, and taking aim at his own party’s nominee, Darren Bailey.

Durkin once led Republicans in the Illinois House. Durkin and Pritzker have been political opponents, but also worked together in Springfield. He announced his endorsement Monday in a video released by Pritzker’s campaign.

The former House Republican leader says Bailey isn’t capable of doing the job. He says he’s too divisive for the state.

It comes as Illinois Republicans hold none of the statewide elected offices and remain outnumbered by Democratic supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature.

Durkin has blamed Donald Trump for driving away moderate suburban voters — once a foundation of Republican strength in Illinois.

"I want a lot of people to know that I'm willing to speak up and do something about where the Republican party has gone in Illinois," Durkin told Fox Chicago. "I speak for so many Republicans who are left in the middle who don't know where to go because they don't believe in some of the far left stuff that they see from the Democrats, but they're also extremely dissatisfied with the way that the Republican party has moved to the extreme far-right. And speaking up, I think is something that is important to see where the party can actually analyze and say, you know what, this doesn't work anymore."

The Bailey campaign responded to Durkin’s endorsement, saying he "and JB Pritzker, they don’t give a damn about you, and they don’t give a damn about anyone in the state of Illinois."

Illinois GOP Chair Bob Grogan accused Durkin of clout chasing.

"JB Pritzker's two-terms as Illinois governor have been a complete and total failure as he raised our taxes over and over, championed illegal immigrants and passed the most bloated state budget in history," said Grogan. "This is who opportunists in search of relevance like Jim Durkin have aligned themselves with and is further proof that the only way to save Illinois is by electing new, strong leadership like Darren Bailey."

"I'm speaking as a suburban Republican," said Durkin. "I could have said nothing. I've been out of this for four years, but I have so much respect for the Republican party that I could not sit idle. I'm not gonna waste my vote this November like I did last time. I'm voting for a person who I know who he is. I know what he can accomplish, which I will disagree with, but a person whom I can trust running the state of Illinois and that's Governor Pritzker."

It comes as a new statewide poll from Chicago News Weekly shows Pritzker leading Bailey by 20 points.

Chicago School Board presidential candidate drops out of race

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:16:22 -0500

Chicago School Board presidential candidate Sendhil Revuluri has dropped out of the race, his campaign announced Wednesday.

Revuluri said in a statement that withdrawing "wasn't an easy decision." His name will also remain on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Revuluri currently serves as the vice president of the Chicago Board of Education and was appointed to the board by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2019. He has not endorsed any of the three remaining candidates.

"I haven't yet seen evidence that any of the other candidates have the integrity and courage that our students need. If one of them shows they're willing to tell the truth about the district's budget, confront the reality of half-empty schools, and always stay focused on our students' success, I'll say so," Revuluri said.

The Chicago native served as a teacher in New York, where he co-founded a new public school and has been recognized for his efforts to advance mathematics education, according to his biography.

He’s also served on a Local School Council in CPS. Revuluri also works for the entrepreneurial investment firm PEAK6 Capital Management.

"I ran my campaign the way I hope our schools are governed: realistically, honestly, and focused on our students' success. But given what's actually standing in the way, I can't responsibly keep asking Chicagoans for their contributions, their time, or their votes," Revuluri said.

Prior to dropping out of the race, Revuluri received key endorsements from U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, U.S. Rep. Ro Khana (California).

Darren Bailey makes pitch to Chicago at City Council meeting: 'I owe you an apology'

Wed, 20 May 2026 12:15:28 -0500

Darren Bailey, the conservative downstate Republican candidate for governor, made his pitch directly to Chicago during public comments at Wednesday’s City Council meeting, where he also expressed regret for calling the city a "hellhole" during his previous campaign.

Bailey has already said it was "dumb" to call the city a "hellhole" in social media posts and recently moved to Chicago as he campaigns against Gov. JB Pritzker in November’s general election.

"Now, to this city, I owe you something. I owe you an apology," Bailey said. "I said some things about Chicago that were wrong. What I meant was the political class is failing us, and I should have been more clear, and I wasn’t, so I apologize."

Bailey spent the bulk of his comments giving something of a campaign stump speech to the crowd. The former state legislator said he would focus on affordability, public safety, and education, if he were elected, and said: "nowhere in Illinois do all three of those converge more urgently than right here and on the South and on the West Sides of Chicago."

He said he wanted to use public housing tools to "turn renters into owners and build generational wealth in neighborhoods that have been promised development for 50 years."

"Friends, that’s not Democrat, that’s not Republican. It’s justice," he said.

Bailey also criticized Pritzker, to whom he lost in the 2022 election, for rejecting a federal tax credit scholarship program pushed by the Trump administration to help lower-income families send their children to private schools. While Bailey said the decision left 15,000 kids, mostly from Black and Latino families, without the financial aid, critics of the program have argued against the use of taxpayer money to send kids to private schools.

"I know this city believes in investing in schools," Bailey said. "As a path to educational equity, I respect that conviction. I believe every family deserves the freedom to choose the school that’s right for their child, and that competition makes every school better."

Bailey also referenced the loss of his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren in a helicopter crash last year. He said for him and his wife, the tragedy "accelerated our fervor to want safety for our children, and I don’t mean that in a judging way. It’s coming from a place of care and concern."

It’s very unlikely for Bailey to defeat Pritzker in November, especially when Democrats are expected to see higher turnout and potentially recapture at least one chamber of Congress. But Bailey has taken a notably different strategic approach to his campaign this year, explicitly courting more Chicago-area voters after losing in Cook County in 2022 by large margins.

"JB Pritzker has been governor for seven years. Chicago is still waiting for fully-funded schools, still waiting for a plan," Bailey said. "Friends, I’m not interested in waiting, and I know you are not either."

A ‘glib’ apology

Pritzker's campaign responded on Wednesday to Bailey's comments, calling what he said a "glib apology" that "doesn't erase years of bashing Chicago."

"Four years later, Darren Bailey finally apologized for repeatedly calling Chicago a ‘hellhole.’ Since Bailey is in an apologetic mood, we have a few more things he should apologize for. The people of this city deserve answers on what he’s actually pledged to do before he comes asking for their votes," said campaign spokesperson Alex Gough.

The campaign then posed a serious of questions about his past comments like promising to "roll the red carpet out" for President Trump in Illinois, comparing abortion to the Holocaust, and co-sponsoring legislation to kick Chicago ouf of the State of Illinois.