Almost 11% of lawmakers are looking to make a change after the 2026 midterm elections, with several in both chambers either retiring or seeking higher office. The House received its first departure on Jan.

Negotiators in both chambers of Congress have reached an agreement to fund every federal agency in fiscal 2026, with appropriators announcing a final deal on Tuesday, giving lawmakers 10 days to get the remaining bills to President Trump’s desk before a shutdown would occur.

Interviews with key strategists and donors reveal why Democrats think they can flip the Senate in 2026 through these states:

The House is voting Thursday on the remaining bills to fund the government as the deadline to avoid another shutdown nears.

The Senate plans to take up the package next week to meet a Jan. 30 deadline, but a potential snowstorm could present a hurdle.

Moderate House Democrats teamed with Republicans to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, overcoming a revolt over ICE.

Kristi Noem’s continued leadership of the Department of Homeland Security is becoming a major obstacle to getting a bipartisan deal to avoid a government shutdown passed through the Senate. A

The House voted to repeal a Senate GOP measure allowing lawmakers to sue the government for $500K, attaching it to a funding bill that could keep the government open.

The House approved an amendment to a must-pass funding package that would repeal a controversial provision that allows senators to sue for $500,000.