# Senate races 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 28, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534 "2025-01-28T15:04:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 57
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1122 "2026-11-01T14:53:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > A reporter for CNN interviewed a woman who had an agent knock on her door in Sitka and ask about her vote. If you find any link anywhere about it I would be interested. There has been a door to door DHS action in multiple states that a judge said must stop, asking about citizenship status, whether people are registered to vote, and if they voted in previous elections. (Not who they voted for.) _That_ was ordered to [stop](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-dhs-noncitizen-voters-ruling/) as likely voter intimidation. And the already linked about potential _donor_ confusion. A Federal (DOJ) effort to go door to door presumptively to find people who are willing to say they meant to vote one Sullivan way but got confused, while voting is taking place? That seems like a big escalation. And possible Federal electioneering. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1123 "2026-11-01T15:26:23Z")
Wow, these are some really optimistic predictions recently posted! I wish I shared that view, but I’ve been burned too many times before. I think the Dems will be extremely lucky to get to 51. Hope I’m wrong! ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1124 "2026-11-01T15:42:22Z")
I wasn’t following elections at the time but I get a sense in 2006 there was a lot of muted optimism, because of the huge disappointments in 2000,2002, and 2004. Imagine not holding the house for 12 years. I think it’s good to bask in a moment like this. I want to lean into the optimism coming into these kind of elections because even if everything goes perfectly for dems over the next 4 years, we’ll be back to white knuckling the next midterm and fearing the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1125 "2026-11-01T15:55:36Z")
The TX Secretary of State is an _appointee_ of Gov. Abbott. He will certainly refuse to certify a Talarico win resulting in a court fight. As AG I expect Paxton will interfere in every way he can. Islamaphobia will succeed in MI and El-Sayeed will lose by less than 1%. Polls in the primaries were way off and will be here as well. The demise of Collins has been eagerly expected for years but she will win yet again in ME. SC, MS and IA are fantasies and will stay firmly in the red column. KS could be a surprise but I wouldn’t bet on it. Once the dust settles Talarico will probably end up seated in the Senate giving the Democrats 51 seats if KS goes their way. The day after he is seated Fetterman will switch to GOP and the Senate will revert to GOP control at 50-50. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1126 "2026-11-01T16:10:12Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Islamaphobia will succeed in MI and El-Sayeed will lose by less than 1%. Polls in the primaries were way off and will be here as well. If El Sayed loses in Michigan, it will be because he cast aside two of the most loyal Democratic voting blocks - Black and Jewish voters. He would not, of course, learn from this. Instead, he would blame Islamophobia. But I doubt he will lose. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1127 "2026-11-01T16:23:40Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > If you find any link anywhere about it I would be interested. [PBS article.](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/politics/fbi-visits-dan-j-sullivan-donor-in-candidates-hometown-as-alaska-senate-inquiry-widens) ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1128 "2026-11-01T16:24:31Z")
AES is without a doubt facing Islamaphobia. For one thing the threshold for when insensitive remarks about Jews or related to Jews becomes a scandal is much lower for Muslims in the US. If he had said [this](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/troy-jackson-apologizes-remarks-jewish-191443192.html?guccounter=1), and followed it up with a fairly weak apology it would have been the biggest scandal of his campaign. > “It’s unfortunate that there are people here in Maine that don’t like to use that term only because they’re Jewish and what that means to them with the Holocaust,” Jackson told News Center Maine. “It fits that description, and it is [a genocide].” For another the GOP has been running an openly islamophobic campaign against him. Also in what way did he cast aside black voters? I’m aware that he polls behind most democrats with them, but I’m not aware of any particular deliberate thing he did. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1129 "2026-11-01T16:32:11Z")
That is about the asking _donors_ to the not incumbent Sullivan if they had been misled. NOT going door to door asking who people voted for. And reporting is mostly that the answer is that they knew who they were donating to: nothing to see here. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1130 "2026-11-01T17:05:59Z")
> [@DeadTreasSecretaries](#): > > For one thing the threshold for when insensitive remarks about Jews or related to Jews becomes a scandal is much lower for Muslims in the US. This is probably partly true but context of their records matter also. El-Sayeed has previously made Israel Palestine and American support of Israel issues a major part of his agenda. He has been asked many times about whether or not Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state and very pointedly declined to say yes. Jackson’s identity is an economic populist. He has little before this election about Israel and Palestinians. His recognition that “genocide” is a fraught word to some of Jewish background was poorly expressed but not in context of repeatedly declining to endorse the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state. But of course there is also Islamophobia and a different bar. It is something a politician has to be aware of. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1131 "2026-11-01T17:07:58Z")
Lol, Haley Stevens is going to church with Mike Rogers this morning. I hereby dub her “Fetterwoman”. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1132 "2026-11-01T17:14:22Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > If El Sayed loses in Michigan, it will be because he cast aside two of the most loyal Democratic voting blocks - Black and Jewish voters. And because of the Islamaphobia that has run rampant in ads and speeches against him. But arguing about that would not be on topic for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1133 "2026-11-01T17:22:34Z")
Okay, I misspoke, but my point was that they have no business asking voters or donors any questions at all. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1134 "2026-11-01T17:39:16Z")
Holy fuck she endorsed Rogers. She now has ZERO future in politics. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1135 "2026-11-01T17:51:03Z")
I just watched the news conference and all I can say is not only is she a sore loser but jeez, she is an annoying speaker. It’s also revealing how the Islamaphobia coming from Rogers, Trump, Vance etc. was not mentioned or a concern for her. A definite statement about her character. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1136 "2026-11-01T17:52:20Z")
What a pathetic loser Stevens is turning out to be. Michigan dodged a bullet not nominating her. She would have been Fetterman, at best… likely much worse. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1137 "2026-11-01T17:56:23Z")
Just a reminder that Mike Rogers has surrounded himself with people who were caught in group chats saying “I love Hitler” and glorifying the Holocaust. @DSeid, it’s not remotely credible that Stevens’ reluctance to assist El Sayed’s campaign had anything at all to do with concerns about antisemitism. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1138 "2026-11-01T18:09:11Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > What a pathetic loser Stevens is turning out to be. Michigan dodged a bullet not nominating her. She would have been Fetterman, at best… likely much worse. Yup. She would have been terrible. I just hope he wins. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1139 "2026-11-01T18:18:58Z")
In her myopic mind? I suspect it does. To the same way that El-Sayeed is not responsible for what Uygar or Piker say. To some a hesitation to say that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state is being antisemitic. He himself. Not some of his supporters. Arguing the logic or illogic of that stance is not the point: it is by those people sincerely held. These people hear that as a very _personal_ threat. She is apparently married to one of those people. I have very center left relatives and friends who are those people. Her former and she may hope future congressional district, suburban Detroit with a large Jewish population, has some who are those people and others very sympathetic to them. She is an idiot. This is a very bad thing she has done. And it is not at all surprising. It was very avoidable with fairly little effort by El-Sayeed. Are you really shocked that after he basically told her to fuck off she tried to fuck him over in return? I am not. Her husband already had endorsed Rogers. We already knew she is an idiot. I’m disappointed to learn he is as well. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1140 "2026-11-01T18:40:06Z")
I believe there are quite a few people who think that Israel can do no wrong. I think having an evil PM proves quite different. You can disagree with Israeli policies without being anti semitic. I also think if you demand people say that Israel has a right to exist then you should also say that Palestine has a right to exist. I also think that you should not be held accountable for what your associates say. I don’t think that Haley Stevens cares about that. She lost and she can’t handle it, so she’s going to hurt El-Sayed. I hope her little stunt backfires big time and come January, she’ll only return to Washington as a toures. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534/1141 "2026-11-01T18:40:34Z")
IDK it also would show really poor political instincts to change your rhetoric a week before the election, especially if it’s because of cutting a deal with someone. I’d think the same in reverse - if Sayed made a demand of Stevens to make some pro-palestinian statement beyond what she’s been willing to make right now and she were the nominee she should telll him to fuck off. In politics today there are groups that are very entrenched around some specific issues but the voters that swing between them care way more about candidates being independent and self confident and not coming off as party insiders and horse traders. And the entrenched people are for the most part rightly not going to trust anything they suddenly hear days before the election - whatever unacceptable sympathies they think AES holds to antisemites they aren’t going to change their minds now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senate-races-2026/1013534.md?page=58)