The nation’s midterm vote tally is still a work in progress. While many races have been projected, more than two dozen House contests and two Senate contests remain without a winner. These unresolved races could still influence the balance of power in Congress as the new session begins.
Unresolved Senate Races
Current projections show Democrats entering the next year with at least 54 seats and Republicans with 44. Two Senate contests, however, have yet to be called.
Alaska: Incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola in a race complicated by a last‑minute ballot controversy and Alaska’s ranked‑choice voting system. The final count is not expected until about two weeks after Election Day.
Mississippi: GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde‑Smith is challenged by Democrat Scott Colom. Although the race was not expected to be competitive, thousands of outstanding mail‑in ballots and a number of “affidavit” ballots mean the outcome could still shift.
Key House Contests Still Open
Several districts across the country remain in limbo, many due to close margins, ranked‑choice tabulations, or state runoff rules.
Maine’s 2nd District: This heavily pro‑Trump district will see former GOP Gov. Paul LePage square off against Democrat Matt Dunlap after Rep. Jared Golden stepped aside. Although Dunlap has conceded, the ranked‑choice process will not conclude until early November.
Florida’s 9th District: Rep. Darren Soto (D) is defending his seat against Republican challenger Dan Green in a district that was redrawn to favor Republicans.
Louisiana’s 6th District: The “jungle” primary system and a newly redrawn, more Republican‑leaning map mean no candidate has yet secured a majority, potentially leading to a runoff next month.
Other notable GOP‑held battlegrounds still awaiting projection include Colorado’s 3rd and 4th districts, multiple Florida districts (7th, 26th, 27th), Minnesota’s 1st, several North Carolina districts (3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th), New York’s 21st, and South Carolina’s 1st and 2nd districts.
California and Alaska Special Situations
In California, several districts feature two candidates from the same party, meaning the outcomes will not affect the overall partisan balance. Alaska’s at‑large seat also uses ranked‑choice voting, which could extend the tabulation period.
As ballots continue to be counted and runoff elections are scheduled, voters and candidates alike await final results that will shape the legislative agenda for the coming year.
Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.
