Senate Democrats' top remaining targets for the 2026 midterms
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Surprise! Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's dream scenario for Senate Democrats in the 2026 midterms is alive and kicking.
Why it matters: The party started the year hoping to just chip away at the GOP's Senate majority in 2026. But they can dare to dream bigger if Schumer (D-N.Y.) can close on his biggest recruiting targets.
- Schumer last week landed former Gov. Roy Cooper (D) to run in North Carolina's open race to succeed retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R).
Zoom in: The two biggest players on Schumer's recruiting board are former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) in Ohio and Gov. Janet Mills (D) in Maine.
- Brown is talking to campaign managers about a potential comeback Senate bid, Axios scooped this week. It's a clear indication Brown is considering jumping into the race against Sen. John Husted (R-Ohio).
- Mills is a huge question mark for Democrats. She's considering a Senate bid, and Schumer has been in pursuit, but her commitment isn't guaranteed.
- The popular governor is term-limited and would face Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for a seat that Schumer needs to flip if he has a chance at winning a majority next year.
Between the lines: Schumer needs an extraordinary amount of luck in states like Texas, Florida and Ohio to make them realistic targets for Democrats.
- His luck is good so far in Texas, where Sen. John Cornyn is feuding with the state's Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary.
Zoom out: The last six months have armed Schumer and Democrats with plenty of lines of attack against the GOP, especially the massive tax cut package and widespread tariffs.
- But Democrats have just a 33% approval rating as a party, according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll.
