The 2026 Senate map is pretty unfavorable for Democrats. But a string of recent recruitment wins is putting some wind in Democrats’ sails.
On Tuesday, we reported that former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is running again in 2026. Last month, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper jumped into the open North Carolina race.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer played a big role in convincing both to run. While Cooper will be more competitive in North Carolina than Brown in Ohio, nabbing the best possible general election candidate is one way Schumer and Senate Democrats can combat a bad map.
Cooper will take on GOP candidate Michael Whatley, while Brown would face off against Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio). Husted was appointed to the seat earlier this year to fill the vacancy left by Vice President JD Vance. At the very least, Brown’s entrance into the race will force Republicans to spend more money in Ohio than they otherwise would have.
Across the map, national Democrats are also upbeat about state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian who entered the Iowa Senate race on Tuesday, although the state has gotten more red over the last decade.
Contrast Democrats’ recruitment wins with Republicans’ setbacks in that arena. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu — widely seen as the strongest general election candidates in their respective states — declined to run for Senate despite intense lobbying efforts by GOP leaders.
Still, Democrats need to contend with a wide-open primary in Michigan while Republicans are already united behind former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). There are also competitive Democratic primaries brewing in Iowa, Texas and Minnesota.
What’s next? Schumer still needs to convince Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills to run against GOP Sen. Susan Collins. In Alaska, former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola is weighing a gubernatorial run, but she could instead run against GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan.
To be sure, any talk of Democrats winning back the majority in 2026 is unrealistic at this point.
Democrats would have to defend Georgia and Michigan, flip North Carolina and Maine, plus win two other GOP-held seats that are solidly red. That could be any of the following: Ohio, Iowa, Texas, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska or Alaska. None of these states are seriously in play right now, although that could change.
Democrats also have to defend open seats in Minnesota and New Hampshire, while guarding against any outside threats in Virginia, New Mexico and New Jersey.
But the recruitment game — one of the most important roles of a party leader — is going well so far for Schumer.
